Magnificence
by Kayori Aechaa
Summary: She's a beautiful woman. A deadly, beautiful woman with a secret. When she forms a contract with a demon who was thought to have been killed, things get a little sticky and become a worth-while adventure that Claude can't seem to find himself wanting to stray from. [Claude Faustus x OC] - [Contains graphic material! - EDITING]
1. Aelia

**Hello all and welcome to my first Black Butler story! :)**

**I'll be the first to admit that I'm fairly new to the anime, and have just recently finished watching it so if I don't put the characters into perfect form, please be easy with me. I'm super excited to start this fic, so I'm hoping at least one of you lovely readers will enjoy!**

**I've noticed a severe lack of Claude x OC fics on here, so I figured I would spice things up and add to the Kuroshitsuji folder! Out of all the characters, I really have to say that Claude is one of my favourites for the entire series. There's just something about his character and personality that I really enjoy... SO YEAH!**

**The time that this story will start is after Ciel has become a demon.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Black Butler (although I'm sure like many) though I wish I did! If I did, I may have been able to prevent Claude's death. );**

**I'm going to apologize right now for the amount of time skips in this chapter, but I couldn't avoid it when I wrote it out. I hope I don't confuse you all too much. Sorry!**

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**Magnificence**

**CH I; Aelia**

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There was always the sound of muffled sobs coming from outside the door, making it difficult to sleep at night. A piercing sound of a hand slapping flesh echoed off the walls in a taunting way, tell those who were behind closed doors that punishment was being given for just reason. Tiny hands clung to the shirt of the older sibling that held onto the younger child tightly, a soothing hand being run up and down her back every so often to ease the nerves caused by the nightly routine. The older sister looked down at her trembling sibling that clung to her while their brother remained close to the door to listen to whatever words that would be exchanged during this event.

Even at the fragile age of four, Aelia was well aware of what was happening.

It was because of her that her mother, the beautiful and kind Elizabeth, received a beating each night from her husband.

Samson watched as Elizabeth shakily pulled herself off the ground and stood up to face him fully. She slowly reached a hand up to cup her throbbing red cheek and looked at him with glassy brown eyes. The ones bright orbs that shone with light and pure devotion for her husband were now dull and void of all that was positive. She looked at her husband now with fear and rejection. There was no fight, nor spirit left in her. The only thing she had now was the strength to defend her child against the man she'd fallen in love with.

It would be kept secret from little Aelia until she was old enough to understand, that Samson was not her real father.

Aelia's older siblings, Cassidy and Darius, both resembled Samson strongly.

Darius was rather tall even at the age of ten, and despite his young age, he was already well built and could handle his own. He had a firm, square jaw and a handsome face. Messy blonde hair draped over his face making him look like he was forever just getting out of bed. His pepper grey eyes would look at you with a special kindness that compelled you to trust and confide in him. Often one would see father and son walking through town together politely chit chatting about how Samson was proud that Darius had decided to follow in his footsteps to become the head of the family company. It wasn't much, merely a little bakery that had blossomed with tons of business, but Samson would not see it being left to one of the ladies of the family. That was simply not acceptable.

While Cassidy did resemble Samson to some extent, she was a striking match to Elizabeth. Bright hazel eyes that would bat innocently at you could bend even the strongest iron will. Matched with strawberry blonde hair and a baby doll face, she was sure to blossom into a beautiful young woman to be fought over. However, she was free spirited and becoming quite high maintenance. At the age of eight, she had been betrothed into a very rich family who was part of a famous chain of restaurants. Her betrothed, Oliver, had once commented on how hard it would be to keep up with her, and often compared to her the late Phantomhive's fiancee, Elizabeth Midford, about how hard to handle she could be at times. Despite her uncontrollable flaw, Cassidy cared deeply for her family, and often felt incredibly sorry and upset when Samson punished her mother or younger sister.

The youngest of the three, Aelia, was at the tender age of four and already quite adorable in her own way. Bright crimson eyes with charcoal coloured hair gave her a mysterious appearance even as a child. She was incredibly bright and always happy despite Samson's constant physical and mental abuse. Elizabeth and done what she could to shield her beloved child from Samson's wrath by turning the hateful and negative attention towards herself alone, but it was never enough. Aelia simply had to glance upwards to his face, and she would be struck down. Still, the child continued with a will of steel and always smiled.

"I wonder what set him off tonight?" Darius sighed and leaned back against the wall to the right of the bedroom door. "Mum usually doesn't get it this bad, eh?"

Cassidy shook her head and continued rubbing little Aelia's back. "You usually manage to sleep through the worst of it, Dar. It's always this bad."

Darius frowned and gave Cassidy an apologetic look before setting his eyes on the little girl in his sisters arms. Often Darius would catch the tail end of conversations Samson would have concerning the future of Aelia. Nothing said was good, and it was always surrounded by a "we can send her here" or a "I'll betroth her to the first person that offers their son, worthy or not". It wasn't until recently that Darius and Cassidy had discovered that Aelia was not their full sibling. One night, they overheard their father yelling profanities at their mother when the truth was revealed.

"I wish he would leave it alone," Cassidy sighed and looked down at Aelia. "She may not be his blood, but she is still our little sister."

Darius stared at the two before looking back at the door. The room outside had become eerily quiet which was never a good sign.

"I'm going back to bed," Darius turned to look at his siblings. "I suggest you do the same."

Cassidy nodded slowly and carefully got up, skillfully cradling the now sleeping Aelia in her arms before walking over to the bed and setting her down gently. Darius watched them closely before pushing himself up off the ground and stretching out his arms. After a few more moments of silence, Darius cautiously opened the door and peered outside to see if the coast was clear before disappearing into the hall making sure to close the door silently behind him.

Meanwhile, Cassidy carefully crawled into her bed making sure not to disturb Aelia and settled herself into her sheets. She stared at her younger sister for a moment, a frown etched on her face while she watched the slow rise and fall of Aelia's chest. Reaching over, she gently brushed a few strands of hair from the younger child's face.

"I wish dad wouldn't look at you as if you were filth..." Cassidy murmured to the sleeping girl before allowing the fatigue that suddenly rushed up on her to take her.

**- x - x - x -**

Elizabeth sat behind Aelia as she ever so gently brushed her hair with a sad smile on her face. The suffering she endured every night at the hands of her husband was instantly washed away with these little moments of peace and quiet with her little girl. Yes, she truly loved all her children, but Aelia was special.

Aelia looked back at her mother and offered a big smile. "Thank you mummy! You always take all the tangles out of my hair!" The little girl giggled before standing up and running off to retrieve her doll.

Samson would always comment about how disgusting Aelia's red eyes were, but all Elizabeth could see were sparkling apple colored orbs that were bright with innocence. Her unusually dark hair was also a topic Samson would not let go. As far as six generations back, both families had been born with light colored hair. It was just another sign that Aelia was not his.

Elizabeth watched Aelia's disappearing form with a sad smile before wiping away a stray tear that trickled down her cheek.

Her hand suddenly reached for a beautiful locket that hung off her neck. "Oh, sweetheart... You're so happy and full of life. I hope you never let anyone take that away from you."

She let her fingers brush over the smooth gold before clasping her hand around it gently. The night she had become pregnant with Aelia, she had returned home not knowing how she had received the necklace. It wouldn't be until later in her pregnancy that she would fully understand who had given it to her. The man had been the storybook description of tall, dark and handsome. Shaggy black hair with piercing red eyes. It had been four years since those eyes met with hers, and even still, Elizabeth found herself thinking of them often.

Sorben was his name. Sorben Taavi Urbana.

Aelia was the spitting image of him. She was the clear reminder of what could have been had Elizabeth taken Sorben's offer when he had whisked her away for a night of passion.

Yes, Elizabeth loved her husband dearly, but her heart also ached and called for the man who bewitched her body and soul.

**- x - x - x -**

"I don't care how much money you're willing to pay or what your son will be doing with his life. All I want is to rid myself of this putrid and disgusting stain on my family name."

A tall, dark haired man watched Samson from his seated position across the desk and shifted slightly. He had received a letter stating Samson still had one daughter left that was ready to be betrothed, and hurriedly answered back with enthusiasm. Now that the man, a wealthy business owner, had arrived he was beginning to regret coming.

"Sir," The man looked at Samson with a critical eye. "If the child is really that much of a disgrace, why offer her to me? My family is very well off and very well known. I don't need to be taking care of someone else's problems, Mr. Valda."

Samson narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. "Why are you wasting my time if you're not interested then, huh?"

"I _was_ interested in Cassidy," The man admitted. "She would have been a lovely wife for my Mark, but I refuse to marry my son to that abomination your wife so dearly loves."

"Then get out," Samson was quick to stand up and ushered the man to the door without manner. "I have no time for those who will not be willing to help me out, so get out."

The man allowed himself to be escorted out, but before he walked out the door, he turned to Samson once more as he placed his top hat on his head.

"If she's really that much of an inconvenience to you Mr. Valda, perhaps sending her to brothel would be the most humane thing rather than sending her off to a future husband that could possibly kill her."

Samson scoffed and demanded he leave immediately. Slamming the door shut, he reached up and rubbed his temples with a sigh. Despite his detest for the child, Samson made Elizabeth a promise to find a husband for Aelia. He would have never imagined it would be so difficult to find the cursed child a suitor.

Several meetings later and more let-downs, Samson was at the end of his rope and eventually lost his temper. He sought out the child and found her playing by herself in her room. Aelia looked at him as he entered the room and smiled up at him. The more Samson looked into her red eyes, the more disgusted he found himself feeling for her. Without a word, he reached down and roughly grabbed her by her arm and hauled her to her feet. Aelia yelped loudly and cried out for him to let her go, but it was no use. The first blow to her face was a hard hit, sending her head ricocheting to the other side with a sickening twist. Next was a blow to her stomach and then a little higher to her ribs. Aelia gasped loudly and cried in pain until finally after several minutes she was dropped to the floor like a discarded tissue.

Elizabeth, having heard the commotion, rushed in and ran to Aelia's side. She picked up the crumpled girl into her arms and held her gently before looking up at Samson with teary eyes.

"Samson, how could you?" Elizabeth sobbed for her little girl. "She's just a child!"

Samson narrowed his eyes with a hateful sneer on his face. "I've given plenty of chances for that bastard child of yours to have a decent life. She's not wanted by anyone Elizabeth! She needs to go! I will not have her in this household any longer!"

"Samson, please! Don't kick her out!" Elizabeth stood up and backed away from the man with Aelia still in her arms. "For God sakes, she's only four! She'll die out there–"

Samson let out a frustrated yell and swerved to the right, knocking over several expensive pieces of glass and the nightstand said glass had been perched on. Elizabeth coward and continued stepping back as Aelia gripped her shirt gently and nuzzled her face into her mother's dress. After a moment, Samson seemed to have calmed down some and looked towards the two with a softer eye.

"She leaves when she turns sixteen," Samson gave Elizabeth a stern look. "I don't care where she goes, but she will no longer be allowed in this house at that age."

Without a word, Samson turned and left Elizabeth and Aelia in the room alone. The woman's shoulders shook as she tried hard to contain her sobs. Aelia looked up at her mother with her own teary eyes before submitting to the pain and falling into unconsciousness. Elizabeth finally let go, sobbing uncontrollably and shook violently as she clutched her child close to herself.

_Sorben..._

Later on that night, Elizabeth bravely confronted Samson for the last time. She left a note for her children to read, accompanied by several gifts with each individual's names on them. For Darius, she bought him his first top hat. Cassidy had received a beautiful diamond earring and necklace set. As for Aelia, the tiny box left for her contained the gold locket Elizabeth always wore. She picked it up and held it in her hands as if it were the most fragile of glass and stared at it wide eyed. It was unknown to the children why they had received these generous gifts until next morning and were met with sad news that morning of their mother's passing.

It was suicide.

**- x- x - x -**

"Cassidy, I wish you wouldn't fuss over me like this." Aelia pouted as she gave her sister's reflection a droll stare.

Cassidy grinned and continued playing at Aelia's hair, determined to create a masterpiece.

"How can I not?" She was beaming. "It's your sixteenth birthday after all! It's not everyday my younger sister turns sixteen, now is it? So come on Aelia, humor your big sister for while. Please?"

Aelia sighed softly with a smile. "You know I can't say no to those big, bright eyes of yours."

"That's right, you can't!" Cassidy giggled and continued her work.

Eventually when the girls were finished preparing for the small gathering Cassidy had gotten permission to throw for Aelia's birthday, the two headed downstairs to the large common area to meet the guests. Both wore a look of confusion when they walked into the room and were greeted with silence.

Not one guest had shown up. But why?

Cassidy frowned and looked around. "Perhaps they're all running late?"

Aelia prepared her response but Samson's voice cut her off immediately.

"I sent them all home."

Both girls looked turned and looked at Samson as he approached the two. Darius followed silently behind him, his head hung low in shame. Cassidy's stomach dropped at the sight while Aelia braced herself for what was about to happen.

Ever since Elizabeth's death, Samson had taken all of his frustrations out on her and her alone.

Suddenly, a vivid memory came hurdling back and instantly Aelia began to back up. She was now sixteen, and if memory served her right, today was the day Samson would kick her out of her home and disown her.

"Father, please-"

Samson's nostrils flared as he exhaled roughly. "Don't you dare address me as your father, you filthy little wench!"

Aelia backed up until her back met with the wall and watched in horror as Samson approached her. Pure hate and rage was clear in his eye. His sights were set on her, and much to her horror, she knew deep down if she fought back he would surely finish her off for good this time.

Samson grabbed her upper arm tightly and began to drag her out of the room. Cassidy followed closely and protested strongly, begging her father to stop but her words went unheard. Samson stopped in front of Aelia's room and shoved her through the door, demanding she pack up and be ready to leave in ten minutes. Before Cassidy could protest more, Samson pushed her roughly out of the room and slammed the door shut leaving a sobbing Aelia to herself.

Having not been given very much as a child before or after her mother's passing, Aelia was able to pack all of her clothing and her most precious items into two bags. Adding a third bag, she quickly grabbed any other necessities she may need down the road and stuffed them in with haste. Before her time was up, she quickly ran over to her dresser and pulled out the middle drawer, lifting up the bottom of the box revealing Elizabeth's locket and a large pouch full of money. Picking up the necklace carefully, Aelia gently fastened it to her neck and hid the it underneath the collar of her jacket before grabbing the bag of coins.

When her time was up and Samson came to get her, he escorted her to the doors and demanded that she never step foot on the property again. He also forbid her from ever seeing Cassidy or Darius again, both of whom never came to see her off. Aelia turned and walked down the steps with what little dignity she had left before Samson could slam the door in her face, and with what little money she had managed to save up, headed towards the town in order to find shelter for the evening.

Later that evening, Aelia lay on the bed in her hotel room and sighed heavily. Her eyes stung and were raw after all the crying she had done, and now she found herself unable to shed not even a single tear. She held her mothers locket in her hand and tightly grasped it as she closed her eyes, her silent prayers of wishing her mother was still alive echoing deep in her mind. She remained like this deep into the night, lost in her own misery until another voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Once Aelia acknowledged the voice, her body suddenly felt as if it were bound to something sticky and could not move. She struggled until finally she had no more fight left in her, and looked around for an answer when suddenly she came face to face with what looked like a giant shadow of a spider. It crawled closer to her until finally it stopped.

"A woman in need of a demons help? Why, I've never heard of such a thing."

Aelia frowned. "Who are you and why are you doing this to me?"

"You called for me so I answered by bringing you here, deep into your subconscious mind so we could speak. Now tell me, why did you summon me? Who is it you want to punish?"

The girl frowned, her brows knitting together at his question.

"I don't want to punish anyone."

There was a dark yet seductive chuckle that followed her answer. "If there were none to be punished, then you would not have reached out for me."

"But I..." Aelia fell silent for a moment before narrowing her eyes.

"If you will not be needing my help, then it is pointless for me to remain here."

"It was him."

With no response given by the male voice, Aelia took that as her cue to continue. The sudden change in her demeanor yanked Claude's attention back onto the topic at hand, causing him to become curious about the human girl dangled before him.

"Samson, my step-father."

There was an amused smirk that somehow managed to show on the giant shadow spider. "You wish to attain revenge against this man? Call it out. Scream for it."

"I want..." Aelia clenched her fists into tight balls before looking up at the spider. "I want to get my revenge!"

Images of Elizabeth's smiling face flashed through her mind. Deep down, Aelia blamed Samson for her mother's sadness and for being the cause of her suicide. The man stripped her of everything, and now she finally had the opportunity to get even.

She would avenge her mother's death, even if that meant selling her soul to a demon.

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**Anddd clear! 2AM and I'm finally done!**

**I'm kind of pleased with how this chapter turned out. Yes, there's A LOT of time skipping, but hopefully I caught the interest of at least one person. If not, I'm still writing this. Readers or not, I want this story to be finished for the sake of all the Claude fans out there!**

**The next chapter we will see a lot more of Claude, promise! :)**

**I would love to read and answer your questions if you have any, so please feel free to leave a review!**

**Tataa for now~**


	2. Claude Faustus, Her Demon Knight

So... I'm in one of my "GOTTA UPDATE, GOTTA WRITE MORE CHAPTERS!" moods right now, so here's chapter two? LOOL :)

This was supposed to be posted yesterday but I... kinda got distracted... Yeah... *tosses FFX under my bed to hide it from my readers* ^_^;;

ANYWAYS, enjoy! :D

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**Magnificence**

**CH II; Claude Faustus, Her Demon Knight**

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"So your name is Claude Faustus?" Aelia looked at the demon sitting across from her with a shameless amount of curiosity shining in her eyes. "That's a cool name."

Claude fixed his glasses and eyed the girl carefully. "It was a name given to me long ago and it is simply that, a name."

Aelia frowned slightly.

Claude had appeared briefly after creating the contract with Aelia, having appeared by her bedside in his usual clean-cut, tailored tail coat. When the girl first looked up at him and took in his appearance, she was dazzled and captivated by his features. Claude was admittedly one the most handsome men she had ever set eyes on. For being a demon as old as he would be, he had a very young appearance. Claude was tall; much taller than her mere five-foot stature. Midnight blue-black hair, a sharp, handsome face and cold yellow eyes. This man was truly a sight to behold. His handsome and clean appearance was accompanied by a rather sultry voice laced with an emotionless undertone.

Aelia had never met someone quite like Claude before, having only been allowed on minimal occasions when Samson was feeling generous. She would mingle with the children her age and talk with their older siblings, discovering more about them and would try to get down to the very core. Individual personalities fascinated Aelia even as a child, and often found herself comparing them to her own.

"Now tell me," Claude interrupted Aelia's train of thought and brought her attention back to him. "Tell me more about the person you would like to punish."

Aelia's eyes fell to the floor and she inhaled deeply before replying. "His name is Samson Valda. He's my step-father and the biological father to my two siblings." She paused before meeting Claude's emotionless golden eyes. "After I was born and it was more than obvious I was not sired by him, he became distant and very violent towards my mother and when I became old enough to fully understand what was going on, he turned to me and thrashed me like I was a slave.

"My siblings did all they could for me growing up and tried to help, but it was no use. Although I got the full brunt of his rage at times, it was my mother that suffered more than I. On nights where it was thundering and I couldn't sleep, she would tell me stories of how loving Samson could be, and that he was capable of being a very loving father. Of course being as young as I was, I wanted to believe her and always tried to find the best in him even as he took his anger out on me."

My eyes fell to the floor and I avoided Claude's eyes once more. "I was four when my mother committed suicide," I paused and glanced over to my bag. "I still have the letter she wrote addressing all of her children, and the one she left for me."

"I see," Claude sat back comfortably in his seat as he watched the girl intently. "What was the real reason for your mothers decision?"

"I haven't read the letter yet," Aelia admitted. "Even after all this time, I still can't bring myself to even break the seal."

Claude's eyes narrowed a touch. "It is a weakness like that, that will keep us from moving forward with your wish."

"I know," She sighed deeply before looking up at him once more. "Give me a few days, and then I will read it."

The handsome demon nodded his head curtly. "As you wish, my lady."

There was a thick silence that wafted through the room as the two stared at each other.

Claude observed his new master quite carefully. She was a tiny, young woman with extremely long charcoal colored hair matched with bright crimson eyes. He would have admitted her to her beauty had he not detested humans so much. However, there was a strange scent that floated off her skin, and Claude couldn't put his finger on whatever it was.

The demon would also not openly admit that she reminded him of someone very powerful back where he came from, and bore even a likeness to the person in physical detail. The thought of his new master looking so much like _her_ even startled him.

With a question dangling off the tip of his tongue and the sudden curiosity stabbing at him, Claude could not help himself but to inquire.

"Miss Valda," Claude broke the silence and drew Aelia's attention to him once more. "Can you tell me the name of your biological father?"

Her eyes seemed to cast themselves off into a distant place as she sank back in her seat. "I don't know... Mother never told me who he was or even gave me a name. The only thing she ever said about him was I resembled him very much, and shared the same eyes and hair as he."

Claude gave a subtle nod. "I see."

Aelia went to speak once more when a loud banging came from the other side of main door. Her lips pulled into a frown as she stood up to go answer it, slowly walking around where Claude was seated to go and open the door. Her eyes peered out the door cautiously, and soon she was faced with five large men who smirked down at her tiny form.

"Can I help you?" Her voice was quiet and she struggled to keep her tone even, not wanting to show how intimidated she was by these men.

The one closest to her smirked deviously and reached out to stroke her cheek with his dirty hands.

"Ah yes," His voice was raw with lust as his eyes raked over her body. "'e was right boys, she's ain't that good lookin' but she'll do."

Aelia slapped his hand away quickly before backing up. "W-Who are you?"

"We was sent here as a reward for helpin' Samson wit' somethin' from a long time ago," One by one, each man walked through the door pushing Aelia farther back into the room. "We was told we would find ya here in this dingy hotel and now we want ya to service us."

Dark chuckles rumbled and cackled from behind the assailant as Aelia frowned deeply. "Samson sent you? But how did he know I was here?"

"That ugly little thing down at the main desk told us ya'd be up 'ere," Quickly, the man reached down for his belt buckle. "Now be a good lass and strip for us, would d'ya?"

"I'm afraid Miss Valda will not be your means of entertainment tonight, gentleman."

Aelia watched with wide eyes as Claude stepped front of her, his much taller form shielding her from the dirty, lust-filled eyes of the five standing before them.

"And jus' who are you?" The man pulled his hands away from his now open belt and glared up angrily at Claude. "We was promised a night wiff tha lady, so get the fuck outta 'ere."

Claude's eyes narrowed. "Such vulgar language," There was a sudden movement and in the blink of an eye, one of the men was sent flying across the room and sent crashing into the wall. "I believe you all need to be taught how to behave like proper gentleman when in front of a lady."

Aelia watched as Claude mercilessly beat the five down until they were left with only enough strength to run out of the room. While her breathing returned to normal, her knees still had yet to cease their quaking. Claude walked to the door and closed it before turning around and returning to Aelia's side.

"Young miss," He placed a hand gently on the girls back and ushered her to the bed. "Perhaps some rest would be an appropriate choice for the rest of this evening?"

She looked up at him and nodded slowly, her eyes feeling heavy. "Yes."

"Shall I prepare a bath for you?"

Aelia shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary for tonight. Maybe in the morning?"

The tall butler nodded and ushered the petite woman to the other side of the room. Aelia allowed Claude to walk her to the bed, pausing only for him to yank the blankets back in time for her to sink down onto the mattress. Ever so gently, Claude carefully reached around her and unlaced the back of her dress before bringing his hands forward once more to ease his fingers down the front enough to break the main lace to her corset. Aelia, suddenly too tired to object to Claude's hands down by her breasts, sighed in relief as the dastardly corset became completely loose allowing her to breathe properly and relax.

Quickly reaching for one of her two bags settled on the floor to the side of her bed, Claude fished around until he found a rather large nightgown and pulled it out. Aelia looked up at him with her cheeks burning bright, even more so as he proceeded to remove her dress.

Her increased breathing and fiery cheeks did not go unnoticed by Claude. "Miss Aelia, would you prefer if I left the room for you to change?"

Her eyes quickly shifted to the other side as she murmured for him to proceed while she mentally chanted over and over that this would be part of having Claude be her butler, her protector, and to ease her mind that it was all business-related. Nodding, Claude lifted her up only long enough to remove the dress and set it beside her before gently pulling the corset off her completely.

Aelia couldn't bring herself to look up at him. This was the first time she had ever been almost fully nude in front of a man before, and somehow, she felt comfortable. Even when she could feel his eyes travel down the length of her body, the awkwardness she anticipated never came. Instead, she felt... _honored_?

_It's because Claude is a demon._ She told herself, feeling somewhat silly at her own vague answer.

"My, my," Claude leaned in and eased the gown over her head, "What lovely skin you have."

"T-Thank you..." Aelia glanced at him and noticed his eyes were on her.

The demon loomed over her, easily pushing her down with little resistance and pulled the covers up to her neck before tucking her in. His eyes immediately flickered to her face only to find her own shut and he became aware of her low, steady breathing.

Claude pulled away from the bedside and walked to the middle of the room. "This simply will not do," His eyes travelled around the room and he sighed deeply. "A change of scenery will be most beneficial to my new young master," He eyed the ripped corset and the hand-me-down dress still splayed out on the bed. "A new wardrobe will also be required."

The tall butler walked to the door before turning around to give Aelia one more look. Using his fingers, Claude strings out a massive web of spider threads around the room to make sure the girl was properly protected in his absence before quickly and silently leaving the room.

**- x - x - x -**

"Wow! This place is massive!" Aelia's face was pressed up against the glass of the carriage as they pulled up to the former Trancy manor. "Do you know the people that live here, Claude?"

His lips pulled back into an eerie grin. "Of course I do. This mansion belonged to my old master, and now that he has passed on, the entire estate belongs to me."

Aelia looked at Claude with wide eyed and mouth open in shock. "Really? This is unbelievable... I've never been to a place this big before!"

As the carriage came to a halt, Claude got up and opened the door before turning and offering his hand to Aelia. She blushed and took it, carefully grabbing her skirt and climbing down. Once she driver made sure that their luggage was off the back, he set off and left the two on their own.

Claude carried all of Aelia's bags up the stairs and even managed to open the front doors for her, stepping aside for her to walk in first.

"Welcome to your new home, Miss Aelia."

Aelia walked in timidly and looked around taking in all of her surroundings. The entire foyer of the manor was massive. Two stair cases looped around against the far wall in crescent shape with a huge entry into the next room at the very top. There was also a set of double doors underneath the stair case in the middle as well.

"Wow..." Aelia's eyes were huge. "This is amazing!"

Claude wasted no time in showing her around. On the grand tour of her new abode, he showed here where the dining area was, and where the study had been moved to (compliments of Claude's demonic powers, of course). With a promise to show her the vast garden expanse tomorrow morning, Claude brought Aelia back towards the main half of the manor and turned right. Eventually the two found their way to the master suite located at the other end of the manor. Aelia watched as Claude opened the door and stood aside, allowing her first entry and for her to look around.

"I-Is this my room?" Aelia looked up at Claude in shock. "I can't possibly stay in this room, Claude. It's much too fancy and large!"

"Nonsense," Claude dismissed her objections and walked passed her to set all of her luggage by one of the three night tables. "This room is more than suited for you, my young master."

Aelia's cheeks flushed a pale pink. "I wish you wouldn't call me that."

"Do you wish for me to address you as something else, Miss Aelia?" Claude looked at her with curiosity pooled in his golden eyes.

Aelia offered him a small smile. "Just calling me by my first name is fine."

"As you wish, Miss Aelia." Claude immediately went to work and began putting all of her clothing away, both old and new. "I must tell you, that there are a set of triplets here that are a part of the housekeeping, and will be more than happy to tend to your needs when I am not present."

Aelia walked around the room poking around so she could memorize every detail and nodded. "Okay."

As if on cue, the three purple-haired triplets filed into the room and stood at attention, each bowing respectively in front of Aelia. She looked over at them and blinked before walking to the three.

Claude walked over and eyed them all carefully. "You may speak only to introduce yourselves to Miss Aelia and then after doing so you may proceed with your chores."

Each one nodded and all three eyed Aelia with their red orbs.

"Names Canterbury!"

"I'm Thompson!"

"And I'm Timber."

Aelia grinned and watched them all. "You three are adorable."

"Thank you, Miss Aelia!" They all yelled at once before bowing once more.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aelia caught sight of Claude dismissing them with a nasty look crossing his eyes and a wave of his gloved hand. Once the three had scattered out of the room, she turned to him and looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

"Were you in charge here when your former master resided here?" Aelia's head tilted to the side.

Claude looked down at her. "As butler of the Trancy manor, I was given the task of keeping all those who served my master in line and making sure they completed their work," A sinister flicker passed through his eyes and the corners of his lips pulled back into a handsome smile. "I was also in charge of disciplining those who did not failed to follow orders or did not complete their tasks."

Aelia frowned. "I see," She stepped forward and couldn't help but reach up to place a hand flat against his chest. "Are you still that cruel?"

"I am a demon, Miss Aelia. Surely you must already know the answer to that question," His answer was straightforward and harsh just as she believed it would be.

With a sigh, Aelia pulled away from him and looked around the room to avoid making eye contact with him. A few moments later, Claude announced that it would be time for tea and that he would prepare her some more comfortable clothing should she wish. When she nodded, she allowed Claude to give her similar treatment like back at the hotel room and did not protest as he stripped her down to her under garments, replacing her dress with a more forgiving evening gown.

**- x - x - x -**

"For today's selection we have a simple Earl Grey tea," Claude expertly poured the steaming liquid into a fancy cup before setting it down in front of Aelia. "Do you have any other preferences that I should know about for future reference, Miss Aelia?"

Aelia shook her head before carefully picking up the cup as if it were the most fragile thing she'd ever touched before. "Not really. I've never really had much of a choice growing up, so maybe you can surprise me with all of the different kinds?"

Claude nodded and gracefully brought his hand up to his chest and bowed his head. "As you wish, Miss Aelia."

"Claude," She paused before looking at him. "Why must you be so formal?"

"As long as you hold the contract, you are my master and I your humble butler," Came the simple response. "Besides, what kind of butler would I be if I did not show my young master the respect she deserves?"

Aelia's cheeks burned at that last bit. "Oh..."

Later on that evening, Aelia had disappeared into the study and rummaged around one of the many bookshelves for anything that looked like a good read. Before she could have anything picked out, one of the triplets barged in through the door looking as if he were trying to catch something.

Aelia quickly turned around and went wide eyed. "Be careful!"

Darting forward, Canterbury whipped out his arms in order to catch the unidentified flying breakable, only to miss it by an mere inch and watched as it crashed onto the floor. Quicker than ever, he rushed to go collect a broom and dust pan, having bowed several times in apology to a surprised Aelia. She watched his retreating for with concern for a moment having heard Claude's words from their earlier conversation repeat over in her head. Giving herself a shake, she kneeled dowwn and began to pick up the larger pieces of glass and piled them neatly to the side.

Claude, having heard the sound of breaking glass, rushed to the room and looked in to see Aelia picking up the pieces. "Miss Aelia, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," She smiled up at him. "Canterbury just went to go and get a broom, so I figured I would– Ow, damn it!"

Claude's eyes trailed down to the blood trickling down Aelia's finger and walked over to her. "Come with me and I will clean that up for you. The triplets can take care of this on their own."

The objection caught in Aelia's throat as she felt herself being hoisted off the ground in a way a man would carry his bride. Claude walked out of the room and towards her bedroom.

"Really Claude, it's not that bad," Aelia insisted, having been set on her bed to wait for Claude to return with a cloth.

Once Claude reappeared, he shook his head and walked over to her. "I insist," He knelt down on one knee in front of the girl and began cleaning the blood off her finger.

Aelia watched intensely as Claude ever so gently tended to her injured appendage. The was an obvious hint of blood lust in his eyes and another emotion she could not quite put her finger on. Before she could stop herself, the words suddenly flew from her mouth like a machine gun.

"Is my blood bothering you?" She frowned, watching as he tensed at her question.

Claude paused for a moment before continuing his work. "It appeals to me, but it is nothing I cannot manage to keep under control."

"Do you..." Aelia's face turned bright red. "Want to taste it?"

Yellow met red as he stared up at her with a questioning, hard gaze.

"I mean, since you're going to be with me for a while and eventually you're going to eat my soul... If this is how you feed yourself, then please..."

_How considerate of her._ Claude thought to himself. _I would not expect any less from such an innocent soul like hers._

"If that is what you wish, then I will do as I am asked," Claude continued to look into her eyes. "Conveniently enough, as a demon I possess healing qualities when I so choose to use them."

Aelia flinched slightly. "It won't hurt... Will it?"

Claude gave a shake of his head and fixed her hand in his own so he had easy access to the still bleeding finger. He motioned for her to be still and began to lean forward, lips slightly a part and senses eager at the offer of a free taste. Aelia watched intensely and felt a strange wave of excitement and some other unknown feeling crash over her when Claude's lips met her skin. The foreign feeling only seemed to intensify as his tongue darted out and swiped across the wound several times before he finally fulled away. During this entire encounter, Aelia's breathing had become hard and her bottom lip was currently wedged between her teeth.

_As I suspected._ Claude's eyes narrowed slightly and watched as the wound began to seal shut. _She is, without a doubt, one of their relatives._

* * *

**Soooo, how'd you all like that little snippet at the end, huh? ;D**

**I figured since I've been making you all wait long enough that I would put some not-so-intense scene somewhere in this. You will find that my version of Claude later on in the series will eventually become a little more lusty, so I'm giving y'all a fair warning now. Why he will become like this, I'm not going to say but I hope you'll all get a kick out of it. ;)**

**Anyways, I loves you guys all THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS much, and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!**

**Please leave a comment and rate if you enjoyed, and I will see you all in the next thing that I write!**

**Tataa for now~**


	3. Change of Plans

**Well, I'm starting my new (hopefully better) updating strategy with assigning days to certain stories. Magnificence is set to update on Tuesday or Friday, but unfortunately I was busy on both of those days, so here it is on the same day set to release an update for One Way Ticket. :)**

**Also, I want to give a BIGGG thank you to RomanoLindsey, cielxbassy and Mini for your comments! :)**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH III; Change Of Plans**

* * *

The next couple of days flew by in a blur. Aelia had to adjust to a new routine, and the fact that she was not the one who had to tend to daily chores like when she lived in the Valda household. The triplets had become quite attached to Aelia in the passing days, often keeping within a nearby radius of her despite Claude's threats and punishments due to lack of productivity on their part. When Aelia would always voice her sudden distaste for Claude's scolding, he would always find some way to pacify the girl with his suave ways or ingenious negotiations. The latest temptation had been for Claude to accompany Aelia as she took one of the stabled horses on a ride around the gardens.

It was a beautiful sunny morning when Aelia woke up before Claude became present in her room. She sat up and stretched her arms out with a yawn before tossing the covers off herself and swung her legs over to the side.

"I see you're already up," Claude entered the room unannounced as per usual and walked over to her a beautiful blue dress in his arms. "Have you been sleeping well, Miss Aelia?"

Aelia smiled and nodded. "I have. I'm just excited for today, that's all!"

Claude nodded and set the dress aside before gently undressing her and preparing her for the dress he had chosen for her to wear as she rode sidesaddle. Aelia's cheeks tinged a light pink as she felt Claude's eyes travel the entirety of her body, drinking in every detail as if to memorize it. She could feel the light touches of his fingers innocently dancing down her arms as he slowly slid the nightshirt off her body.

"C-Claude..." Aelia inhaled sharply.

Breaking out of the trance-like state he was falling into, Claude looked up at Aelia and bowed his head before standing up. "Forgive me, Miss Aelia."

With that careful gentleness that was reserved only for Aelia, Claude hooked his hands under her arms and listed her to her feet. Seconds later, he began lacing up the corset he had produced from thin air.

Aelia inhaled sharply as he tightened a lace in particular that sent a sharp pain up her back. "I wish women did not have to wear these cursed things!"

"Unfortunately it is a necessary evil," Claude stated in his ever famous monotone voice. "Would you prefer I not tighten it?"

Aelia nodded quickly. "That would be lovely."

"As you wish."

**- x - x - x -**

It was getting close to midday when Aelia was finished with her horseback riding, allowing Canterbury to take the gentle black steed she had been riding to the stable. Claude, who had been walking along side her the entire time, helped her down and was now walking with her back to the large glass doors that would bring them to another lobby near the back of the manor.

"You've been awful quiet, Claude," Aelia looked up at him with those wide, innocent eyes of hers. "Is there something wrong? Something I should know about?"

Claude glanced down at her from the corner of his eye before reaching up adjust his glasses. "Of course not, Miss Aelia."

"Then why have you been so quiet?" She pressed. "For the last few days that you and I have been in this contract, you always had something to talk about."

"I can assure you, Miss, that I am perfectly fine," Claude looked down at her now. "May I inquire as to why you would be so concerned about someone like me?"

Aelia smiled. "Well, for one, you happen to be the only one I speak to now on a regular basis. And lastly, if my words aren't too bold... I happen to like the sound of your voice."

"I see," This amused Claude more than he would ever care to admit. "Now that I think about it, there is a pressing matter that would need to be brought to your attention eventually. If you wish for me to reveal the matter now, I will."

Aelia stopped walking and looked up at him with her brows knit. "Pressing matter? Is it something I should be worried about?"

"Of course not," Claude turned around so he was facing her. "In fact, I believe the information I am about to reveal to you may change the way you look at life for the better."

His words strummed Aelia's curiosity like a skilled guitarist.

Aelia nodded slowly and felt her cheeks flush as Claude offered his arm to her much like a gentleman would to his lady. Without hesitation, she looped her own arm around his and let him guide her back inside and up to her bedroom. Once she was changed into something more comfortable and suitable for lounging, Claude left her in Thompson's care and instructed that he take her to the study while he tended to her afternoon snack and tea. Without any further instruction, Thompson bowed out of respect and opened the door, stepping aside for Aelia to go first.

"You know Thompson, I've never heard you speak before. Come to think of it," Aelia paused as she looked up at the triplet with blinking eyes. "I haven't heard any of you speak."

Thompson looked down at her and offered her a huge smile before opening the door to the study, allowing her to walk in first before bowing politely and disappearing down the hall.

Aelia blinked. "Okay then."

Aelia walked over to the desk and took a seat on the fancy chair, allowing the plushy red fabric to sink her back into a comfortable position while she waited for Claude.

"Claude," Aelia's travelled across the room towards the door as the demon entered the study pushing a silver cart. "Why do none of the twins speak?"

Claude stopped at the side of the desk and reached up to fix his glasses. "The triplets have a very vulgar, unmannerly way of speaking. If you heard them for yourself, you would understand why I have demanded them remain silent."

"Oh, I see..." Aelia's brows knit.

"For this afternoon, I have prepared for you a lovely Japanese dessert called Sakuramochi. It is mostly popular for celebrating the birthday of young women, hence the light pink color," Claude announced as he set a beautiful looking dessert down in front of Aelia. "At your recent request, I have also prepared for you a simple green tea."

Aelia stared down at the unique looking dessert, noting how the lovely oval shaped rice cake was covered with a dark green leaf. A smile graced her face as she looked up at Claude, quickly thanking him before picking up the delicate creation and took a bite, letting the flavors to waft through her mouth and down her throat.

"Thank you for this, Claude," Aelia looked up at him with a smile. "You never cease to amaze me. This is absolutely delicious!"

Claude felt his lips twitch into a small smile as he gave a graceful bow. "Your compliments are most flattering, Miss Aelia."

She smiled and continued to eat until she was finished. Once she began sipping her tea, she gave Claude a look that told him that she was waiting for him to reveal the information he had ever so kindly gave a teaser for.

"So Claude..." Aelia leaned forward so her elbows were resting against the desk. "Care to tell me more about this so-called "life changing" information you spoke of?"

Claude stood tall. "Of course."

Aelia stared at the demon butler in anticipation as he composed himself and pondered on how to approach the topic without scaring his new young master.

"The reason that I had originally chosen to withhold this information is because of the meaning behind the truth of it all," Claude began. "To start, I should inform you that your blood is not of a normal human."

Aelia blinked. "My blood?"

"To be quite honest, you remind me of someone from the world in which I come from. She was a very powerful and feared demoness named Zelina Urbana," Claude's eyes locked on Aelia's own wide ones. "You bear a striking resemblance to her, and also have a similar scent to that bloodline."

Aelia frowned in confusion. "How can I have a scent like a demon when I am human?"

"Your blood is not fully human," Claude's words cut into Aelia like a hot blade into butter. "When you allowed me to taste your blood I was able to make the conclusion that you are not fully human, nor were you meant to remain in your human state."

"But... How is that possible?" Aelia sank back in her seat, her eyes unblinking.

Claude watched her closely and continued. "I had my suspicions about you when I first laid eyes on you," He confessed. "The short story you gave to me about the love affair your mother had when you were conceived intrigued me, so I went out to retrieve some information and was able to attain what I had been searching for."

"Which is?" Aelia whispered softly, continuing to stare at her demon butler in shock.

"The identity of your biological father."

Aelia's body went rigid and the corner of her eyes watered at Claude's words.

Her father.

Claude found her father.

"H-How?"

Claude bowed his head politely. "First I must ask for forgiveness for prying in matters to which I am not involved in," Aelia gave no response but a simple nod before Claude continued. "As I have previously stated, you bare a striking resemblance to the late Zelina."

"Who was she?" Aelia spoke quietly.

"She was the daughter of Felix and Amelia Urbana," Claude began. "You could say they were as close to royalty as my world could possibly hope to have. Customs follow similar principle in my world, and as it turns out, Zelina had a child out of wedlock with her true mate. The man who is your biological father, is her son."

Aelia nodded slowly. "So, this Zelina woman was my aunt?"

"Correct," Claude adjusted his spectacles out of force of habit.

The girl's eyes travelled down towards the desk and she sat there in silence for a moment to allow all of the information to fully sink in.

"What is his name?" Aelia muttered out softly. "What is my father's name?"

"Sorben. Sorben Taavi Urbana," Claude replied.

Aelia felt the corners of her mouth tug as she allowed a small smile to spread across her face.

_My father... I know my father's name now._

Claude observed her intensely. Tears streamed down her face and the smile she bore grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment. He could hear the way her heart pattered like a machine gun with the excitement of the reveal.

"There is also another matter which we must discuss before I divulge more information about your father," Claude began, once again catching Aelia's attention. "May I speak out of line for a moment, miss Aelia?"

Aelia frowned slightly. "You may..."

"Since you are of demonic descent, it would be wise for you to be turned. In order for this to be accomplished, you will need to figure out whether you wish to keep our current contract in full guage or to adjust it."

"What do you mean by that?" Aelia sat up straight. "You mean, once I am a demon, the contract will be broken?"

Claude nodded. "Exactly. It is unusual for a demon to be tied in a contract with another of their kind, so it would be wise for you to make a decision."

"So," Aelia bit her bottom lip. "What are my options?"

"You have two choices," Claude looked down at her. "Your first option is to complete your goal and to fulfil the contract to the agreed terms, meaning that once your step father has been killed our contract will come to a close."

"But if I choose that option, you will eat my soul," Aelia's brows knit. "How is that an option to become a demon?"

"That answer ties into your second option, Miss Aelia," Claude adjusted his spectacles. "Instead of going through with what was agreed firstly, we can alter the arrangements and adjust the contract to suit the new situation."

"And what exactly would those terms be?"

There was a mischievous glint in Claude's eyes that caught Aelia's attention. "Should you choose to accept my new terms Miss Aelia, I will personally see to it your revenge is complete," When Aelia made no comment and he knew she was at his full attention, he continued.

"The new terms for a new contract would remain similar to the one we have now. You will remain human until your eighteenth birthday, by which time you have undergone all necessary endeavours and I will have fulfilled my half of the contract. On that day, I will deliver to you your father and you will then accept a mating proposal to determine when you will be turned."

Aelia's breath hitched. "Mating proposal? What's that?"

"It means that should a suitor ask for your hand, you will be inclined to accept that proposal," Claude answered.

"But I don't know of any demons who would wish for my hand," Aelia frowned.

"Ah," Claude gave a dashing smile. "What better demon to ask for your hand than myself?"

Aelia's face lit bright red as she stared at Claude in disbelief. "Y-You want to marry me?"

"As it turns out, I have grown a strong attachment to you in such a short period of time," Claude placed a hand on his chest much like the gesture he used when bowing.

"These next couple of years will prove to only increase this connection. Should you wish to accept the terms of the new contract, I would be most honored to provide the necessary arrangements and see to it your transition goes pleasantly."

Aelia continued to stare at Claude in silence before slowly pushing herself up off the chair. She made her way around the desk towards the demon only to stop and watch and he gracefully bowed down, kneeling down one knee with the same hand still placed on the left side of his chest.

"So does this mean you do not wish to consume my soul?" Aelia looked down at him, her hand grasping the edge of her desk to keep herself stable.

Claude did not look up to meet her eye. "It is not something a demon chooses often, but I see a better future for a soul like yours and wish to give you an opportunity to choose life over death."

"But I will become a demon," She walked closer to him. "Isn't death the same as becoming some inhuman?"

Claude looked up at her and watched as she sank down on her knees. Teary red eyes met cold yellow ones as they stared at one another for what seemed like forever.

"You will be much more than that, Miss Aelia," Claude reached forward to cup her cheek. "You will be magnificent."

She allowed herself to reach further to his touch, leaning against his hand and reaching up to cup her own over his.

"I'll do it," Aelia breathed slowly. "I'll alter the contract to your new terms, but only on one condition."

Claude's brow rose slightly, signalling for Aelia to continue.

"I do not want to wait until then to meet my father. I wish for you to either bring him here or take me to him sooner than later," She paused. "Only then, will I agree to your terms."

"Unfortunately, I am afraid that tracking Sorben down will not be that simple, even for someone like me," Claude gave the solemn reply. "Your father has always been one to remain in the shadows, and will continue as such until he wishes to be reunited with you."

Aelia frowned deeply. "You can't find him?"

"Not at this time," Claude shook his head. "I can only promise to help track him down once your revenge has been completed."

The girl before him took a moment to think over his words before nodding slowly, seeing no other immediate option other than to agree with Claude.

This pleased the demon greatly.

"Excellent. Now, Miss Aelia," He gently pried his hand away from her and pulled off the glove covering his Faustian contract seal. "If you would please call out the new agreements."

Aelia nodded slowly and inhaled deeply. "I wish for you to remain my butler until my eighteenth birthday, by which time I will have completed my revenge. I will then allow you, Claude Faustus, to turn me into a demon and take your hand."

The skin between her breasts suddenly began to tingle as the new contract seal appeared. There was no turning back now. Aelia was fated to become a creature of darkness, and was to be married to a the dangerous man who would call himself her butler for only a short period of time.

Deep down, Aelia accepted her new status once Claude revealed to her the true nature of her strange appearance and the secrets behind her real father's identity. She finally realized why her mother did what she did, and now came to terms with the unopened letter still waiting for her waiting eyes.

* * *

**Yeah, I know, crappy ending to a slow, boring chapter...**

**I tried! I'm sorry! *bows ten times in a row ***

**I promise next chapter will have more to it, and that the story will pick up. I promise! Pinky swear, even!**

**Oh yeah, I had a Guest user message me privately asking is Sebastian and Ciel would be involved in this story. To answer your question Mister or Misses Guest, yes they will be in the story and actually have a significant role to play. I'm hoping it won't be cheesy or lame, but they will be in the story. ;)**

**Also, more will be revealed about Sorben (Aelia's real father) and the reason why Claude wishes to become Aelia's mate. As we all know, there's always a reason for everything, you just gotta be patient. ;)**

**I want to apologize once more for how slow the chapter was and thank you all who have given this a read!**

**Next chapter I've decided to answer any questions in the comments section, so feel free to ask anything you would like pertaining to the story! I won't be able to reveal everything, but I will do my best to give tidbits to hopefully satisfy curiosity.**

**Tataa for now~**


	4. What Is Lost

**I have exciting news for those of you who have been following this story from the beginning, and that is...**

**This is a three-part update! Yes, you heard me! ;D**

**I did a bit of jumping around in this chapter, so please bare with me! Also, in the next couple of updates, I apologize if I put anyone to sleep. They're a little slow. LOOL**

**For today's first update, we see Samson once again. And for those of you who remember, we know what that means. ;)**

**Not gonna lie, this chapter is pretty short... But hey! It's followed by two more, right? RIGHT? ;D**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH IV; What Is Lost**

* * *

"Why have you not disclosed the location to where we are travelling, Claude?" Aelia looked at her butler curiously.

Claude, who was sitting across from her in the fancy coach, simply smiled at her.

"As I have told several times this morning Miss Aelia, we are headed to an undisclosed location to meet someone of high importance."

"You're no fun, Claude," Aelia huffed and looked out the window once more. "This person must be special if you won't tell me who it is we are meeting."

_Indeed he is._ Claude thought to himself, a sinister smirk slowly stretching onto his face.

Aelia eyed the demon butler closely before coming to a conclusion due to his changing demeanor. "We're going to see Samson, aren't we?"

Claude gave no reply.

**- x - x - x -**

Somewhere on the other side of town, Samson paced back and forth as he continuously looked down at his watch. He had been waiting for a man to arrive at this very spot for over an hour, and was beginning to draw nearer to the end of his patience. When he was just about to leave, he finally noticed something approaching in the distance. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a coach with a white horse pulling it come trotting up.

"Finally," Samson growled out.

When the purple haired driver pulled the reins to stop the horse, a door opened and a man clad in black stepped out. Samson could see him speak to another person who must have accompanied him and then closed the door before turning to face him. Samson noted that the man was rather tall and dressed much like a nobleman's butler. His top hat and the high collar of his coat his most of his face from Samson's view, but what he could point out were the mans piercing yellow eyes.

Samson's eyes narrowed slightly as the man began to walk towards him. "Are you Claude Faustus?"

"I am," Claude confirmed. "Your being here would imply that you had received and accepted the terms of my letter?"

Samson pulled out the letter in question and held it tightly in his hand. "Where is she?"

"She will remain out of your sight for the moment," Claude's voice was even and now had a raw added delight mixed into it. "For now, let us discuss things as gentleman."

"What is it you're playing at?" Samson spat out. "I'm not here to play games. If you have that abomination in that carriage with you, I suggest you hand her over so I may finally dispose of her."

Claude narrowed his eyes slightly and repeated. "I am afraid I cannot allow you to lay your eyes on Miss Aelia just yet."

"Stop dodging around and hand her over!" Samson was beginning to lose his temper. "That was the only reason I agreed to meet you here, so honor the details in the letter and hand her over. Now!"

The demon smirked fully at the human. "My my, what a temper you have," He began to advance towards Samson once more. "If you were expecting me to comply with what was written, I am sorry to say that it was all a ruse to get you out in the open."

Samson glared and reached behind himself. "You bastard. She isn't even here, is she?!"

Claude's eyes flickered from the hand that disappeared behind Samson and back to his face. "I strongly recommend you reconsider offence and choose self preservation in this situation."

Ignoring Claude's friendly warning, Samson drew out his gun and aimed it so the bullet would hit the demon directly between the eyes.

"Sod off!" He snarled. "Hand over Aelia or I will shoot you where you stand!"

Claude remained still. "Do as you wish, but know that once you have pulled the trigger, I will have to act on behalf of my young master."

"Young master?" Samson narrowed his eyes. "You can't be serious."

Claude felt like slapping a hand to his forehead and muttering about how idiotic this human was. Had he not listened to what Claude had been saying? The demon addressed her appropriately for her status several times, and still Samson hadn't caught on.

"She is my young master as per our agreement," Claude gave no other details.

Samson went rigid and clicked back the hammer before wrapping a finger around the trigger. "I don't care who you are to her nor do I want to know what you're doing with her. If you want live, hand her over."

"I will give you one more warning," Claude's lips pulled into a grin as if to tempt Samson. "If you choose offence, I will be forced to retaliate."

A loud bang echoed through the entire area as the gun fired. The bullet shot through the air and landed where it was intended to and instantly Claude was sent crumpling to the ground. Blood trailed down both sides of his nose and his eyes dulled into a pale yellow as he lay there unconscious. The carriage door flew open at the sound as Aelia jumped out from the protection of the coach running to Claude's side. She fell to her knees at his side and shook him as she said his name, tears brimming the waterline of her eyes.

"Claude..." She fought to keep the tears at bay. "Don't you dare die on me."

Aelia looked to the side as footsteps could be heard approaching her. Her eyes narrowed as she stood up and turned to fully face her step father, finding that the gun was now aimed directly at her.

"Finally decided to stop being a coward and face me yourself?" Aelia snapped at him.

Samson narrowed his eyes. "Well, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

"Ah yes," She grit out. "Those men you sent after me the day you kicked me out weren't efficient enough for the job, huh?"

He ignored her words and glanced at the lifeless man laying on the ground near her feet. "Did you bribe him like a whore to follow and protect you?"

Aelia felt her temper boil. Any other could insult her in ways that would normally insult your common or average woman would normally never bother her, but to call her a whore was crossing a line that was not meant to be breached. It was as if the wind had shifted and brought a changing force with it as Samson watched Aelia's facial expression turn stony and her eyes began to shine with hate.

"Claude," Aelia's voice held a powerful tone to it. "It's time for you to stop playing and to honor your half of the contract."

Samson was about to laugh when he saw the man he had just shot in the head rise to his feet. He began dusting himself off and looked perfectly fine, as if nothing had happened.

"My apologies, Miss Aelia," Claude bowed politely before turning his attention back to Samson. "If you would be so kind as to call out the orders?"

Aelia's eyes locked onto Samson. "As my butler, you must honor the contract and do as I say," The demon behind her began to smirk as his eyes lit up to a vibrant fuchsia. "Attack Samson until he is close to his death and then bring him before me."

"As you wish, my young master," Claude bowed once more before walking passed her.

Samson began to fire the gun repeatedly until the bullets ran out and found his heart beat increase along with his fear as Claude elegantly dodged each projectile. Claude suddenly rushed forward to grab Samson by the neck and hauled him off the ground.

"Now then, shall we begin?" Claude's voice was full of amusement as were his eyes.

Had Claude not had a crushing hold on Samson's throat, he would have screamed in pain as the demon produced golden knives from the innards of his jacket and stabbed him in all the major arteries. The human thrashed hard but to no avail, having suffered several more stab wounds in all his most sensitive pressure points and also important internal organs. Several torturous minutes later, Claude turned to Aelia with a half-conscious Samson still dangling in his grasp.

Aelia gathered her skirt in her hand and walked forward as Claude dropped Samson carelessly on the ground before her.

"I loved you like a father despite all of the negativity that surrounded what could have been a beautiful relationship between father and child," Aelia frowned and knelt down in front of Samson as he drew in desperate breaths. "You did this."

Samson looked up at her with hate filled eyes and croaked some incoherent words out in response to her words.

Aelia took a deep breath before reaching forward to grab his chin roughly and forced his attention on her. "I was prepared to forgive you even after your attempt at having me murdered, but there is one reason that makes that all impossible. Do you know what it is?"

He shakily reached back and threw his hand towards her as hard as his weak body could, only to have his wrist caught by Claude.

"I blame you for my mother's death," Aelia stared deeply into his eyes. "That is why I will never forgive you. You took away from me the only person that ever truly loved and accepted me for being what I am."

There was a moment of silence that Aelia gave for Samson to make his final plea, but was given only more silence. The man continued to stare hatefully at her, even as she stood up and looked at Claude.

"It's time," Aelia looked down at Samson before turning away. "Dispose of his body when you are finished."

"As you wish," Claude reached down and slipped his hand around the side of Samson's face before forcefully twisting his head to the side, followed by a sickening snapping sound.

Aelia flinched and closed her eyes tightly to regain her composure before walking to the coach, where Canterbury was waiting to open the door and help her inside. She looked at him and gave him a grateful smile and took the hand he offered as she stepped into the coach. Once she was seated, Canterbury closed the door and took his spot on the perch, grabbing the reins and sitting back to wait for Claude's return.

Aelia looked at Claude as he entered the coach and took a seat across from her. She noticed he was not wearing his usual white gloves.

"It's done?"

Claude looked at her as he pulled out a fresh pair of gloves from his pockets and slipped them on his hands. "It has been taken care of."

* * *

**Sorry it was so short. Be prepared for the next one though, because it's coming out shortly! :)**

**After a few chapters I will actually put a detailed blurb about how Aelia really feels about the death of her step father. I know I left nothing of how she felt and that it was quick for the most part, but I have a second half of this entire chapter coming up later on.**

**Stay tuned for the second update! :D**

**Tataa for now~**


	5. Memories

**So here is update number two!**

**...**

**Updating two stories has never become so difficult in one day. LOOL *sweatdrops cuz she also updated The Deal today***

**ANYWAYS!**

**Today we do a bit of time skipping and get right down to business, as I want to skip the boring chiz and jump right into it. I'm also taking advantage of making Claude a tad OOC in the next chapter, so I apologize for that in advance if that bothers anyone!**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH V; Memories**

* * *

_"Remember this, my love," A smooth, sultry voice whispered into her ear with a kind of gentle only reserved for the most precious of things. "If ever you should choose to end your life, think of me while holding this," He held something delicate and shiny in his hand; a gold locket. "and I will come running."_

_Hazel eyes looked up into bright red orbs as he spoke. "The locket?" Her brows furrowed. "Sorben, what do you mean?"_

_A deep chuckle sounded out from the back of his throat and his hand reached up to caress her cheek softly. "In time you will know, Elizabeth. I promise."_

_With that, he placed a gentle kiss to her lips before reluctantly blacking out that night from her mind until the time was right for her to remember once more._

**- x - x - x - **

Elizabeth held the locket in her hand and stared down at it, her eyes void of emotion as she internally cried out and screamed his name. Slowly over time, she had begun to remember the events that lead her up to this point. Those things formerly blacked out were now brighter than day, becoming clearer and revealing promises once ushered to her in soft whispers. It was when she had given birth to Aelia, that all those memories became crystal clear. It was her eyes. They were like a key to the lock she so desperately tried to open. How could she possibly forget those glowing, piercing red eyes?

Aelia was his spitting image, and deep down, that made her heart flutter. Elizabeth had fallen in love with Sorben, but reluctantly chose to stay by her husbands side. "The children," she would say, "I have to stay for my children". Elizabeth knew she could handle it. The woman prided herself on her strong will and ability to keep herself stable through any situation.

Around the middle of Aelia's fourth year, Elizabeth had grown weaker.

Her mental stability had been fractured and was now breaching a very sensitive borderline. Samson had worn her down to the very end with his constant barrage of hurtful words and physical blows, that the woman could only handle so much more before she cracked.

The last night of her life, she faced the most brutal of all abuses since Aelia's birth. It was the final push for her to make the devastating leap to her end.

Elizabeth barricaded herself in the drawing room and walked over to her desk. Sitting down, she pulled a few pieces of expensive stationary out from the little drawer above the opening where her legs were now situated under before pulling the cap off the ink. Quill in hand, she sat there in silence and thought over what to say in her letter to each of her children. Of course they would be upset with her decision. Her mind told her that her two elder children would not see her reasoning and would choose to hate her, while the youngest and most precious to her would understand eventually.

Her eyes wandered over the blank page once more, and as soon as she collected her thoughts, she began to write her apologizes down addressing the three children together. Once satisfied with that, she neatly folded the two pieces of paper containing her most sincere thoughts before producing another set of pages. Tears began to stream down her face as she readied her quill once more.

"My dearest Aelia," Elizabeth's voice was full of sorrow as she spoke. "Please see it in your heart to forgive me."

_My dearest Aelia,_

_By the time you read this letter, I am sincerely hoping you have found it deep within your heart to forgive me for my selfish decisions to leave you alone when you needed me the most._

_I cannot begin to explain my reasons for abandoning you when you needed me most, and will never forgive myself for leaving you to his unforgiving mercy. I wished for you to see what a loving man and father Samson could be, and did not expect him to turn his back on you once you were born of different blood. It was never you he truly hated Aelia, please know this. I foolishly let myself become infatuated with a man who I knew would never fully become a permanent fixture in neither mine nor your life. However, I do not regret my decisions as they all brought me to you. There are many things I wish I could tell and share with you about your father during the years as you age and grow into a beautiful young woman, but alas these tiny details from my memory are nothing but a shadow of who he really is. He was a very handsome man, and thankfully, you inherited his charm and good looks._

_Almost five years ago I met him on my return home from an outing. He was the most charming man I had ever met. His voice was smooth, and he just had this way with words. There was something about him that no woman could resist and now thinking back on it, the most notable feature about him was the very thing you share with him. He had the most beautiful piercing red eyes I had ever seen, and that was what drew me in. He introduced himself to me in the most gentlemanly ways, and soon I was under his spell. He was an incredibly passionate lover and showed me more affection and kindness that not even Samson or God himself could have shown me. That night I spent with him, he gave me something very special and made a promise I am now passing onto you. By giving you the locket attached to this letter, I wish for you to do what it is I will never be able to accomplish._

_It was a promise made for this very moment; it is the moment that was deemed the choice of ending my life. Hold onto the locket my dearest, and pray for your father to seek you out. He once promised that he would find me and take me with him to his world if I had chosen this path, but alas I feel that is it too late for me even with his love and affections._

_Call out his name, dear Aelia, and he will find you._

_I must also address something important that I wish for you to keep in mind should you find yourself stuck in a crossroad during your life. Should you fall under despair or find yourself in danger, please do what you can to take care of the matters yourself. Demons and angels do exist Aelia, as do the gifts and treachery that follow in suit. Do not call forth a demon my child, as this will bring dire consequences and pain. Please heed my warning and listen to my last wish as a mother. It is important you find your own path in life instead of seeking the guidance from other forces not meant for this world._

_Aelia, I will ask for your forgiveness once more before I depart into the next life, and pray that you will still see me as your mother and not someone who abandoned you. It was never my intention to raise you in the environment I forced you into, and please know, I love you very much. If only I had been able to give you the chance to meet him. I want you to know, that he would have loved you with all of his heart._

_When the time comes, I am sure everything will fall into place and you will fully understand why I did what I did._

_The locket I am giving to you was the second most precious thing I have ever owned so please, cherish it as if it were your own._

_With love,_

_Elizabeth._

**- x - x - x -**

Eighteen years had passed since the night his eyes landed on her. He had grown to hate humans in his hundreds of years, and now was no exception.

Or so he thought.

Sorben watched as a elegant and expensive looking carriage pulled by two beautiful black horses trotted up the street towards him. It had been like any other night starting off with him standing off to the side of the road playing the helpless gentleman, and once the carriage stopped, he grinned inwardly at the thought of a satisfactory meal. Never having been one for contracts or harvesting a soul to his specification, Sorben tended to settle for someone or many someones that lived decent lives or had turmoil in their immediate present.

The carriage came to a halt and the man sitting on the bench with the reins in his hands looked down at the demon and gave him a quizzical look.

"Sir, are you alright?" The man inquired. "There is a big storm approaching and it would be best if you sought shelter for the evening."

Sorben gave the man a charming smile. "I am aware. However," His eyes began to glow a unique shade of fuchsia and suddenly the drivers brown orbs went blank. "I would be most happy if you would introduce me to the occupants of this carriage."

"Of course sir!" The driver more than happily tied the reins off on a hitch and hopped down from his perch to walk to the door. "May I introduce you to Miss Elizabeth Valda."

Sorben watched as the door was opened and a young woman looked at the two with a startled expression. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of her nervous vibrant hazel orbs and noticed her delicate hands trembled at the sight of a stranger.

Never in his years had he come across a woman as beautiful as this one. She was the fairy tale beauty with the large doe eyes and a flawless face with long flowing hair gracefully cascading over the front of her shoulders. She was petite and seemed quite delicate with a cocktail of vanilla and wintry scents. Sorben could also smell the scent of a man faintly off her flesh, somehow making his blood boil at the thought. The powerful scent of her blood and almost tropical punch to her soul also became quite potent the closer he got to her. It called to him, tempting him to drain her body and soul.

The demon composed himself and gave a graceful bow. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance, my lady. My name is Sorben Urbana," He flashed a charming smile that sent a wave of pink over her cheeks.

The woman clasped her hands together for some sense of stability and returned his smile with her own shy one, her eyes never leaving his. "It is a pleasure to meet you Sorben. Tell me, what business do you have with me?"

Sorben used the same hypnotic powers of persuasion and locked his eyes with Elizabeth. "Perhaps the beautiful young lady would accompany me to my hotel room this evening?"

"I..." Her eyes flickered from hazel to dull voids much like her drivers. "I would be most delighted."

"Excellent," Sorben gave a pleased smile and relayed the directions to the hotel to the driver before climbing into the coach with her. "Tell me, what is a lovely lady like yourself doing out by yourself on an night like this?"

Elizabeth smile. "I was on my way back home from visiting my sister," Suddenly her eyes flickered and she was no longer under Sorben's control. "H-How did you..."

_Interesting. A human who can overcome and resist powers of persuasion._ Sorben eyed Elizabeth for a moment before smiling. "You are accompanying me for the evening."

Elizabeth frowned and prepared her reply but felt it die in her throat as she watched Sorben's eyes glow fuchsia. She felt her heart skip a beat and her skin begin to tremble once more.

"What... What are you?" Her voice was quiet and her deep breaths were escaping in gasps.

Sorben's eyes lit up with delight. "Beautiful and perceptive, a rare mix. You will make a lovely date for this evening, indeed."

"You are going to kill me, aren't you?" She bit her bottom lip and sank back further into the plush seats of the carriage. "Is that the reason you are here?"

"Originally, yes," Sorben confessed. "However, plans do tend to change from time to time."

Elizabeth's eyes fell to the floor as she fiddled with the material of her skirt. "What is it you want with me then?"

There was a pregnant pause before Sorben's voice broke the silence.

"Do you believe in demons, my dear Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked up at him with a quizzical look. "Beg pardon?"

Amusement was clear in his eyes. "Demons and angels exist, and have since before humanity created order."

"If you are telling me this, then that means you are one of them..." She paused. "A demon."

Sorben smirked. "Very good."

"You somehow spelled my driver to do as you wished in order to seek access to me, correct?" Elizabeth watched as the demon nodded and continued cautiously. "I will ask once more. What is it that you want with me?"

Sorben watched her and gave a relaxed response. "Most demons never come across them in their extended lifetime, and those who do end up turning the human into a demon," He paused and watched as her expression lit up with curiosity. "Some call them 'soul singers', but I prefer to call them a potential mate."

"Soul singer? Mate?" Elizabeth's brows furrowed. "Would you not consider that the exact same thing?"

"Essentially," Sorben continued. "As I stated before, they are rare even for demons to find."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Sorben's red orbs began to glow eerily. "I tell you this because I believe I was fortunate enough to find my own singer," His canines elongated and were visible as his smile stretched wide. "Which would be you, lovely Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "W-What? Why me!"

"We do not have the choice over who we are destined to," Sorben calmly stated.

Elizabeth nodded slowly and looked down at her hands, silently processing the information currently being thrown at her. Sorben watched her quietly and fought to keep resisting the urge to touch her. He wanted to stroke her cheek or even hold her hand for a brief second.

"Sorben," Elizabeth looked up at him slowly. "Tonight, will you steal me away from my husband?"

"No," His expression fell for an instant but he composed himself almost instantly. "In fact, to ease your mind I will be erasing your mind. You will not recall having even met me before I entered the carriage."

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "I see."

At her response, Sorben's eyes lit up.

* * *

Sorben walked down the long dirt road leading up to a grand mansion that was nestled far off from the city. It was said to have been surrounded by gardens more beautiful than imagination could build on their own, blessed with intricate designs and lovely flower arrangements. The trees lining the road were trimmed to perfection. The grass was clean cut and showed proper care and grooming had been taken into consideration each time it would grow.

Sorben's eyes wandered all over the expanse of his surroundings. "Beautiful, but boring," He sighed and continued walking. "How long is this damn path anyway?"

Over the years and due to the loss of Elizabeth, he found himself changing into a man uncaring of the surroundings or to his own needs. He was once a gentleman worth envying, but now he was left as a shell of sarcasm and ill manners. He ignored life itself, and wandered around aimlessly throughout the years never stopping in one place too long. It wasn't until he found himself back in this wretched place that he remembered his purpose in life. It was upon this memory, that brought his thoughts back to the gift Elizabeth left for him.

His flesh and blood.

A child that had been sired by him.

His _only_ child.

If he recalled correctly, Elizabeth named her Aelia. Aelia Louise Valda.

It was with a silent promise that he assured Elizabeth that he would remain concealed from his child's life until her eighteenth birthday, only revealing himself and his true nature to her on that day.

His early arrival however, was due to a letter sealed with a spider's insignia not long before his departure from Scotland. It was a letter addressing matters concerning his daughter and her search for his whereabouts by a man named Claude. Only after he finished reading the letter did he realize that his only child had committed to a Faustian contract with a powerful, menacing demon like Claude Faustus.

Sorben continued walking down the path when a figure clad in black became visible in the distance. His feet carried him further forward until he was a few feet away from the man, finally able to see the strangers face.

"Welcome to the former Trancy estate," The man spoke and soon bowed politely. "My name is Claude Faustus. Since you have arrived in such a short amount of time, I will assume you are here to honor what was explain in the letter."

Sorben pocketed his hands. "I was already on my way here, but yes, I will be honoring that letter."

"Very good," Claude motioned for him to follow and soon the two began walking towards the entrance to mansion. "Miss Aelia will be most pleased to meet you when the appropriate time is upon us."

Sorben couldn't help but smile. "As am I," He paused before eyeing the demon butler beside him. "Excuse me but, why do you have her scent all over you?"

"Surely you must be aware of the job of being a butler entails," Claude replied easily.

Sorben's eyes narrowed slightly at Claude but he said nothing more.

"It is a week before her eighteenth birthday," Claude glanced over to Sorben. "Whereabouts will you be staying until then?"

Sorben mumbled something incoherent and shrugged. "I will most likely wander around town until then," He suddenly grinned. "Perhaps find something to eat. It's been years since the last soul I consumed."

"Very good," Claude reached up and adjusted his spectacles.

* * *

**So we finally met Sorben!**

**I know I didn't really reveal much or give that great a character description as I wrote, but felt like leaving those details open to more in the next chapter. I also want to apologize for the crappy ass letter that I pulled out of my ass that Elizabeth wrote for Aelia. I was hoping it would have come out better than it did, but ah well! I tried, right? D:**

**Speaking of the next chapter, I'm pleased to tell you that we learn more of Sorben, more of Claude's reasoning for asking Aelia to become his wife/mate and another little detail that I am leaving out for now. ;)**

**OH. OH. OHHHH. For those of you who love the game as much as me, FINAL FANTASY X – X-2 REMAKE IS RELEASED ON TUESDAY! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :D**

**... Ahem. I'm not excited. No... Not one bit...**

**:3**

**I LIED. I'M SUPER DUPER EXCITED. GAHHHHHHH! *goes crazy ***

**Okay, I'm calm now. LOOL**

**Anywhoo, I shall see you all in the next update and remember, each read counts and I want to thank you all for giving this story a chance!**

**Tataa~**


	6. When The Time Comes (PT I)

**Okay so, I decided to do double updates yesterday even thought my goal was three, but here is the third a day late. Sorry!**

**I won't be on much since I work this weekend. That, and I won't be on at all during my days off because of FINAL FUCKING FANTASY X – X-2 REMAKE. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :D**

**... I promise I won't do that every time. I'll even pinky swear to it! *holds out virtual pinky ***

**Also to Ignis Glacious, yes, yes I have played FFX and FFX-2, and they were my favorites of the entire series aside from FFVII. :)**

**Anywhoo, in this update we learn a lot more of Claude's reasoning for wanting Aelia, and more importantly, Aelia meets her father for the first time! :3**

**I won't keep you guys any longer, so off to the story!**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH VI; When The Time Comes**

* * *

"Miss Aelia," Claude called as he pushed a silver trolley into her bedroom. "It is time for you to wake up."

Aelia stirred in her bed and muttered to herself as she slowly sat up. She looked over to him before rubbing her eyes quickly and then smiled small at the wake-up call.

"Good morning, Claude."

Claude walked over to her and smoothed out her hair with his gloved hand. "You look dreadful this morning, Miss Aelia."

"Thanks!" Aelia giggled.

She watched as Claude pulled the blankets away from her before gently swinging her legs around to the side of the bed, having became accustomed to such luxuries. It was during their years together that Aelia had gotten used to the daily routine and having Claude pamper her to the extremes of even bathing and clothing her. At first she found herself uncomfortable with the idea of this man seeing her in such a vulnerable and intimate state, but now it was as if he had always been there.

She pondered to herself that perhaps it was that very reason why Claude had offered to change up the contract.

Claude gently lifted Aelia off the bed and sat her on her feet before unbuttoning her nightdress and slowly pulled it up and off her body. As usual, Aelia blushed and fiddled with her fingers out of embarrassment at being entirely exposed. The demon ignored this and went about his work as if nothing were awkward between the two, reaching down to lift each foot one by one into the waist band of a white petticoat before lifting it up to her hips. Next came the corset, which Claude skillfully wrapped around her and laced it to perfection. Aelia's eyes lit up once she looked to the side as Claude reached for a beautiful black dress that she had not seen before.

"May I inquire as to the occasion for such a beautiful dress?" Aelia smiled brightly.

Claude quickly unlaced the back of the dress as he spoke. "You must look your best for your birthday, Miss Aelia."

"My birthday?" She deadpanned. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot!"

Claude simply glanced at her and decided not to make a comment at her forgetfulness. Once Aelia was fully dressed, Claude made the finishing touches that were needed to the dress and then pulled away from her to eye his work with satisfaction clear in his eyes.

"For this morning I have brought for you some hot water and lemon," Claude announced as he tied the matching ribbon to her dress around her neck. "And also a birthday gift."

Aelia blushed. "You have?"

Claude nodded and stood up straight. He lead her to the trolley where her morning tea was waiting, and also a little package with a red bow sat in waiting.

He picked up the wrapped package in his hand before using his other to grasp Aelia's left one gently. "You were successful with the agreements as per stated in our first contract," He turned her hand so her palm was facing the ceiling and placed the gift in her hand. "Now it is time for you to honor the other half of the contract."

She blushed and looked up at him with a smile. "I know and I am ready."

Pleased by her compliance, Claude watched her as she carefully pulled the bow apart and then opened the small package. Inside was a little white felt box. She blinked twice before lifting it out to discard the package on the trolley and carefully held the bottom of the felt box in the palm of her hand once more and used her other to slowly open the top. Inside the small box, was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever laid eyes on.

Her eyes went wide. "Is this..." She looked up at him. "Is this what I think it is?"

A unique black ring sat for display inside the felt box. The band itself was a plain black gold with a unique arrangement of what looked like eight black petals situated on the band. White jewels lined said petals, and at the very top situated in the middle was a stunning fuchsia diamond.

"Indeed it is," Claude plucked the unique ring from the cushioned interior of the box and pulled her left hand up. "It also has another purpose, Miss Aelia."

She watched as he slipped the ring onto the proper finger, her eyes growing wide as the diamond began to glow brilliantly.

"What's happening?" She held out her hand and flexed her fingers as she stared at the diamond. "Claude?"

He took her hand in both of his gently. "The ring is a trigger for your demonic blood. Once the lock has been broken, I will be able to successfully turn you into a full demon."

Aelia nodded slowly and looked up at him. The corner of Claude's mouth began to pull outwards in a triumphant smile as Aelia's eyes flashed in a similar fuchsia color much like his own. There was suddenly a itching sensation in the valley between her breasts drawing her attention down and immediately she noticed the contract seal disappear.

"So does that mean the contract has been fulfilled?" Aelia looked up at Claude once more.

Claude nodded and then fiddled with his spectacles. "Indeed. It means that it is time for us to move along to your end of the deal."

"I'm ready," A smile made its way onto her face.

Claude reached up to cup her cheek gently. "Shall we?"

Aelia let Claude move her hair to the side and as he leaned down, she tilted her head to the side. Claude placed a gentle kiss to her collar bone before bringing his lips up to her ear, murmuring words in a language Aelia did not know. It was when he uttered the final word that Aelia felt like her entire body pulsated. Claude's arm wound around her waist to keep her stable on her feet as she slumped into his chest. Her eyes closed and she trembled against him for a moment until her whole body became still. A pleased smile spread across his face as the scent filling the air no longer belonged to a human girl, signalling that the change was nearly complete. As her intensified senses woke up, she felt her body become light and her eyes fluttered open.

"Aelia," Claude's voice was soothing to her ears. "How do you feel?"

Aelia blinked a few times to allow her new eyesight to adjust as she glanced around the room. "I feel fine," She slowly looked up to meet his eyes, her own shining a deep crimson before returning to their natural red color. "Everything is so vivid now."

"You will become accustomed to all your new heightened senses in time, my dear," Aelia's cheeks burned at the use of his endearment towards her.

She began to pull away from him slightly until a delicious scent hit her nostrils. "What smells so... Amazing?"

"I see your scent has improved as well," Claude said with a hidden tone of smugness. "You are currently inhaling my scent."

Aelia felt her cheeks burn once more and she quickly turned away shyly. "Oh, I see."

"Now then, for my last act as your butler, I have a small schedule prepared for you today."

She nodded and allowed Claude to lead her out of the room, his arm still wound around her waist. Aelia blinked as she entered the hall and was suddenly hit with a powerful scent she had never had never encountered before.

"Claude, what is that smell?" She looked up at him with a quizzical eye.

"You have caught onto the scent of your guest," Claude met her eye. "The scent is that of another male demon."

"Oh?" Her brows furrowed. "Who might that be?"

Claude smirked. "Now now, we would not want to spoil the surprise."

Aelia huffed and pouted, knowing that she was not going to get an answer out of her demon partner.

The two walked in a comfortable silence through another hall that lead towards the main sitting room where Aelia as a human would have started her day off with breakfast. Upon entering the room, Aelia's eyes flickered from corner to corner until her red orbs landed on a man looking out the window, brandy glass in hand despite the fact it was empty.

A memory of Claude performing the same action of sipping some imaginary drink flashed through Aelia's mind quickly, realizing now that it was due to the demonic species not having a need for consumable substances aside from human souls. Now that she had been transformed, she finally understood why Claude did some of the things he did out of some long lost habit.

The man turned to face the two and went a little wide eyed when his gaze landed on Aelia.

"Wow," The stranger breathed out. "I knew you would be beautiful, but I never imaged you would look like this."

Aelia blinked, not sure if she should take that as a complete compliment or only half.

"Thanks?" She glanced to her right where Claude still stood before meeting the red-eyed strangers with her own crimson orbs. "May I ask who you are?"

The man grinned. "Ah yes, I figured Claude would not give you any details," He set the empty glass down before turning to face her fully. "It would seem Elizabeth also stuck to our agreement, even though she was thrilled with the idea of telling our child who her real father was."

"How did you know my mother?" Aelia's brows furrowed and then suddenly a rough slap of reality hit her hard in the face. "Wait... You're...? You can't be..." Her eyes began to water. "... Dad?"

Sorben gracefully bowed before holding out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you Aelia."

Claude gripped Aelia's shoulder tighter as she swayed, her eyes becoming distant and clouded as she mulled over the new information. Sorben walked over cautiously, his eyes still on Aelia. She remained in this stunned stupor for a few more moments before snapping back to reality, becoming completely aware of how close the man know known as her father was to her.

"Sorben," Her voice came out soft and only an octave higher than a whisper. "How are you... here?"

He smiled. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me my dear, and believe me when I say I will answer them but first let us just stick with the basics."

Aelia hesitantly reached out and accepted the hand Sorben had once again extended towards her, taking her from Claude's protective grasp and leading her towards the table. He pulled out her chair for her and then took a seat beside her while the demon butler fiddled with whatever it was that needed done before disappearing out into the hall to find the triplets.

Noticing that he and his daughter were now alone, Sorben turned his full attention to her.

"You chose the path of becoming a full demon I see?" Sorben seemed pleased with this. "I am proud of you for that, but I would have been just as proud had you chosen to remain human."

Aelia smiled small. "I remember the first day my step father told me I was an abomination," She paused and looked down at her hands. "My mother used to tell me that he meant nothing of it and told me it was because I had unique blood and physical traits."

"Your step father was a cruel man," Sorben sighed and sat back in his seat. "Despite what Elizabeth forced me to swear to, I could not remain far enough away from you both to leave you without protection."

"Why did mother make you swear not to become involved in my life?" Aelia looked up at him.

Sorben's smile faltered. "Elizabeth knew what she meant to me, but still she made the decision to stand beside that _man_," He seemed to spit out the word. "We made the mutual decision to put a time line on our meeting, having decided on your eighteenth birthday."

"Why my eighteenth?" Her brows furrowed. "Is there a special significance behind it?"

"There is," Sorben confirmed. "At the age of eighteen, the demonic blood that was locked away at birth would have made itself know, signalling the choice that you would have had to make. Since it has already passed that point and you are almost a full fledged demon, I feel as if my further explanation on the topic is necessary."

Aelia blinked. "What do you mean by 'almost'?"

"Ah," Sorben grinned. "So your butler hasn't told you."

Her cheeks flushed at the word.

"To become a full fledged demon and tie yourself to a mate for eternity, you must be marked during the first cycle of the blue moon," Sorben explained. "The blue moon in my world represents the appropriate season for mating and copulation. It is a beautiful time, but also a very dangerous one."

Never in her life had Aelia felt so awkward. "Oh, Wow... Uh..."

Sorben chuckled. "I know it is an uncomfortable thought to process, but it really is much more simple to experience it rather than to listen to it explained in words."

Aelia nodded slowly and looked away from him shyly. "How does one... mark a mate?"

"It's usually a very cliche bite mark on the neck as a visual sign that the female is no longer available, but many males have a more sentimental and unique way of showing their pairing," Sorben grinned.

_Oh God..._ Her eyes suddenly flashed to the ring now resting around her marital finger. _Does that mean... Claude is going to... Oh God..._

"It seems someone has already claimed you," Sorben's eyes followed hers down to the vivid fuchsia diamond. "Tell me, is it the spider demon who is currently your butler?"

Aelia nodded slowly. "It was an term I willingly agreed to when Claude and I changed the contract."

"Oh yes," Sorben's eyes narrowed slightly. "I heard a rumor about my daughter falling into a Faustian contract with the infamous spider demon who was thought to have been murdered, although a part of me wished it had of been false."

"He's helped me through a lot dad," Aelia frowned. "Please don't hate him."

Sorben's eyes softened. "If he is who you choose, then it seems I am overruled even if I did not approve of him."

Aelia smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you."

The two sat in silence for a moment as Sorben attempted to find other topics of conversation. He knew Aelia would have tons of questions for him, but under observation before Elizabeth's death he noted that she was a shy, introverted creature that was friendly when needed but often enjoyed sitting by quietly while others conversed.

"Pardon my interruption," Claude spoke as he entered the room. "But I would like to have a word with you in private, Sorben."

The demon in question looked over to him before standing up. He looked down at Aelia and gave her a smile before walking over to Claude.

"I will not keep your father long," Claude looked at Aelia with a gaze that one could boldly call affectionate. "The triplets have offered to accompany you to the gardens if you wish?"

Aelia stood up and faced the two with a smile and nodded. "Sure."

On cue, the purple-haired triplets filed into the room and bowed simultaneously. Aelia watched as Sorben followed Claude out of the room and then turned back to the triplets. Thompson, Canterbury and Timber lead Aelia to the back gardens and onto a path that lead to the stable she had built shortly after allowing Claude to bring her to the manor. Thompson, who was already the hired gardener, accepted the task of taking care of the horses and stable maintenance. After it had been built, it became Aelia's favorite spot. She and the triplets remained there almost all afternoon until Claude and her father walked out to meet them. Aelia had not noticed their arrival, having been too interested in the horses she was now petting after entering the pasture to visit with them.

* * *

**Yeah... Shitty way to end the chapter, I know, but I couldn't figure out how to end it properly or with a bang.**

**Sorry it was a day late, but by the time I had most of this written it was like... 12:47AM and I had to be up for work at 4:15AM so yeah, needed some manor of sleep. LOOL**

**This will be the last update until next weekend, where I promise to update and not play FFX all day with no sleep...**

**:)**

**ANYWAYS, have a good weekend all and I shall see you all next time!**

**For those of you who have read it, I will be updating One Way Ticket (my Ling/Greed x OC story) on Monday since I never got to it on Friday. :)**

**Tataa for now~**


	7. When The Time Is Right (PT 2)

**Oh. My. Gawsh.**

**She's actually pulled herself away from the game! Wow! *proud of myself ***

**Hello all! LOL ;)**

**So, there was a little bit to digest from the previous chapter, so shall we recap? First and foremost, we were faced with the result of the end of Claude and Aelia's contract. She was given a ring (There will be a link in my profile for those interested in seeing it!) that helped to unlock Aelia's demonic blood, and also Claude proceeded with stage two of their "marriage". Later on, her father Sorben was able to give her more details on the subject on consummation being the final piece of her becoming a fully fledged demon. :)**

**And to cap that off, we finally got to meet the mysterious Sorben! I know there wasn't much in the previous chapter with him, but I will let you know that he is in fact a main character. ;)**

**So, I won't talk much here since I'm a week overdue for an update on EVERYTHING, so yeah!**

**... Sorry guys, Final Fantasy X has just taken over my life! It sits there just starting at me, beginning to be played! o_o**

**As an apology to both my lovely (_but perverted_) beta and all you lovely reviewers, this next piece is for you.**

**It's an intimate scene with quite a bit of detail to it, so you've all been warned. I don't want any complaints from none of you! *points finger at that one person who may message me because of this * That's right, you! Don't you do that!**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH VII; When The Time Is Right**

* * *

Later on that evening, Sorben had told Aelia that he was off to the town to find a suitable bite to eat. Being naive to the topic seeing as how she could still rely on human food to sustain her, she figured her father meant that he was going for some exquisite cuisine that Claude was unable to prepare. Without question, she allowed him to leave with the promise that he would return. Sorben also promised to bring the triplets along with him as company, offering to show them freedom outside of the manor. The three more than willingly complied and followed the elder demon without protest.

Aelia watched at the window in silence until the carriage carrying Sorben and the twins disappeared from sight as Claude stood slightly behind her, his eyes flickering from the window to his mate. In his yellow orbs, Aelia could see the answer to her question left to linger behind at her fathers last words to her before heading out with the triplets.

_Remember I told you about the cycle of the blue moon? Well the first half starts tonight, so keep in mind that your 'fiancee' is in prime condition. Not that I myself enjoy the thought of my daughter going through something like this with a man I did not approve of before he bore the ring, but just remember to keep calm and you'll be fine._

"Claude," Aelia looked back at him. "May I ask you a question?"

Claude met her eyes and gave a charming smile. "Of course."

"Is it true..." She suddenly became bright red in the face and fiddled with her hair out of nervousness. "That you and I have to... Uh... _You know_... Do _that_ in order for me to become a full demon?"

"But of course," Came the easy reply. "It is necessary in order for you and I to be boned together as one for eternity, as well as change your blood completely. Since you are human being turned, despite your demonic heritage, the rules of turning a full human do apply to you as well."

Aelia deadpanned. "Do you really have to say it like that!"

Claude seemed to find the fact she was uncomfortable rather amusing. "It is but the simplest of creature nature, human or otherwise."

"So, is that why you let the triplets go with my father so easily?" Her eyes narrowed in accusation.

Claude's sudden grin was all she needed for an answer.

Aelia gasped loudly as her body was quickly lifted from the ground, her surroundings becoming blurry as Claude used his inhuman speed to whisk her away into another part of the manor. Having been thrown onto something soft and plush, Aelia finally realized her partner had brought her to her room and was now looming above her on her bed. His usual bright yellow eyes were now glowing the bright fuchsia that seemed to mesmerize every fiber of her being.

"I'm afraid that once this is settled, there will be no going back. You understand this?" Claude balanced his entire weight on one hand and pulled his other on up to caress her cheek gently. "You and I will be bound as one for eternity."

Aelia nodded. "I do."

Claude's lips claimed her own with a searing kiss, as if melting their flesh together as one. She felt the hand that once rested against her cheek ghost down and in behind her as the fingers played at the laces holding the back of her dress together, pulling them apart without breaking contact. Aelia whimpered at the sudden loss of warmth and at the sudden movement as Claude skillfully pulled the dress off her body as if it were never there.

"C-Claude!" Her face burned.

The elder demon looked down at her. "Yes?"

"Aren't you going to take your time?" She squirmed underneath his lustful gaze.

Claude's lips pulled back into a grin. "Why of course not. I have been waiting much too long for this moment, and fear I cannot hold myself back much longer."

"This is you holding back?" Aelia asked incredulously. "I'd hate to see you at your worst."

A challenging look flashed in the mans eyes. "Are those words meant to be an invitation, or a hint of a challenge my dear Aelia?"

Aelia bit her bottom lip and looked away from Claude trying to avoid eye contact, fearing the man would see more than he already did. Claude was no fool. Over the years he spent with her, he could see the curiosity and desire within the deepest depths of her red orbs.

"If you wish for me to beg for you Claude, I won't!" Aelia suddenly announced, her face still red as she finally met his eye.

Claude smirked at this. "I see."

Aelia squeaked as the corset, once tightly wound around her, was torn apart and thrown across the room to land in an unknown spot with a thud. She protested against this but was soon silenced as Claude's lips found her once more, this time lacking the gentle passion he previously bestowed upon her. Now, all she could taste was a burning hunger that had been dormant inside for a long time. As he pulled away she watched as he unceremoniously pulled the tailored coat from his body before folding it impossibly fast before sending it across the room to meet her corset.

"Claude," There was a strange tone laced in Aelia's voice. "When you bite me... Will it hurt?"

Claude froze as she spoke before looking down at her. "Is that all that troubles you?"

Aelia nodded slowly. "Yeah... I've never exactly been one for pain," She paused and blushed again. "And my sister always did tell me the first time hurt, so... That's kind of bothering me as well."

Claude continued to look down at the girl who was to become his mate and felt all sense of urgency leave his being. It startled him that the hesitant and nervous look in Aelia's eyes halted the primal instincts of his demonic heritage and made him docile. Though the feelings of lust were still coiled deep within himself and the strong desire to claim her in every way possible pulsed through his veins, but one look from those eyes paused it all.

"My dear," Aelia shivered at the gentleness that seeped through Claude's words. "I cannot promise you that it will not be uncomfortable, but I will make it a night you will never forget."

A wave of arousal washed over Aelia suddenly, and an unknown heat once hidden began to pool in the lower pits of her stomach. The feeling intensified as Claude descended upon her and claimed her lips in a fiery kiss while his hands danced over her bare torso. Tingling sensations tickled every end of all the nerves in her body. Her blood began to surge in her veins and carried all of these new sensations forward.

What she didn't know, is an alluring scent released itself as her body now openly expressed itself to Claude's advances, giving the male demon a whole new kick start to the urgency that had been subdued just seconds ago.

And Claude allowed the rush to take over both his mind and body, letting his instincts take over and run on auto-pilot.

Clothing was soon forgotten and flesh molded with flesh as the two kissed and touched like ravage beasts. Claude memorized her body and allowed all detail to burn in his mind and Aelia allowed him to pamper her with all the passion she thought impossible for one being to give. The unskilled versus the skilled clashed in a combat of limbs, and soon Claude had her right where he wanted her.

His lips trailed down her collar bone as she whimpered his name. She could feel his teeth nip at her flesh as they made their way downward until he stopped to greedily latch himself to her left breast. The heat in her lower abdomen soared passed its peak as he continued his work. Aelia's fingers wound themselves through his ebony locks and encouraged him to continue with his delightful torture. Claude grinned at this, switching to the other side as his hand sneakily ghosted down to the final prize.

Aelia gasped as his fingers danced around her most intimate of places before teasingly gliding down her inner thigh. Claude then cupped her leg and pulled it closer to him and rested it over his shoulder, doing the same to the other as his mouth pulled away from her breast. Aelia watched him intensely as he crawled lower down, his kisses growing closer and closer to their target.

"C-Claude..." Her voice was shaky.

His eyes met hers. "Shh," He caressed her leg in a soothing manner. "Do you trust me?"

She laid still for a moment as if to ponder over his words before nodding slowly.

Claude shifted slowly and continued his journey down until he reached her lower half. Aelia bit her lip and threw her head back in anticipation, her eyes looking everywhere but where Claude was. He pressed a chaste kiss to her inner thigh, letting his teeth nip at the sensitive flesh several times to leave a bruising spot before glancing up to her one last time.

"Deep breaths my dear," Claude's voice was soothing yet husky.

Aelia trembled and inhaled deeply as she felt his breath ghost over her. Her pulse raced with a mixture of excitement and with nervousness as he finally pressed the first kiss to her before letting his tongue dart out to swirl around her most sensitive place. Aelia's teeth bit hard into her lip as he worked her, lathering her with the flat part of his tongue. Her body began to tremble once more and welcomed the pleasure that began to build due to his advances. Aelia could feel Claude's lips pull into a smirk as she hummed in approval. He could feel her muscles coil and release with every flick of his tongue or with the nip of his canines.

"Claude!" Aelia gasped loudly.

Her mind was buzzing and no other coherent words would form just as he used his fingers to ease inside her. Aelia gave an undignified sound of pleasure as Claude pulled back and then pressed forward. She whined as his tongue swirled around her most sensitive spot before sucking gently. Her body thrummed and her hips bucked slightly. He continued to work her until finally she felt the heat pool at an excruciating pace. He took his time with his work until her body involuntarily shuddered at the impending release before suddenly pulling away.

Aelia whined and watched as he crawled back up her body and soon loomed over her, his eyes the bright fuchsia like before when this all began. Despite the heat in her lower half and her cheeks burning with embarrassment. He leaned down towards her and stopped just as their lips were about to touch, giving her the chance to make a move on her own accord. She contemplated for a moment what to do considering what Claude had just been doing to her, but eventually let curiosity get the better of her and leaned up to meet his lips in a timid kiss. Claude gave her a moment to adjust before reaching up to tangle his fingers into her hair and deepen the kiss, their lips clashing against one another's hungrily with all uneasy feelings cast away.

Aelia hastily grasped the back of his head to meet him in the intense kiss as he covered her body with his own, reaching down with his hand to cup under her knee and pulled it up to wrap around his waist. The girl beneath him was too preoccupied with the way his lips fought fiercely against her own to notice the way Claude was beginning to position himself until the moment she had been fearing above all.

Claude pulled out of the kiss and began working his way down to her collar bone as he thrust forward causing Aelia to moan loudly. He paused momentarily to cast her a glance before nuzzling under her jaw in an affectionate way. Aelia's body trembled with the new intrusion and her heart thundered with the excitement pumping through her veins. Claude waited another moment before pressing chaste kisses to the juncture of her neck and shoulder before moving once again, grinning against her skin as he was rewarded with a hum of approval for his actions.

He continued to move in a slow, rhythmic pace out of courtesy for Aelia to become accustomed to the rules of the game before taking off full pace taking her higher and higher as the two moaned aloud. The musky scent of sex and a feminine scent only Claude could distinguish soon bonded together with the tangy taste of blood as Aelia gripped his shoulders with both of her hands, her fingers digging into his shoulders before pulling down to leave a bloody trail in their wake. Claude trembled at the sensation, jerking his hips roughly to cause Aelia's head to fly back with her mouth gaping slightly. He took advantage of the exposure and quickly leaned down, fangs bared and eyes burning fuchsia.

There was an indistinguishable sound of mixed pleasure and pain as Aelia felt Claude's fangs pierce the flesh of her neck. Her breath hitched and her back arched high to press against him. He began greedily sucking the blood that seeped out from the fresh bite, enjoying the euphoric feeling that instantly washed over the both of them while he continued to claim the girl writhing underneath him. Minutes seemed to turn into hours until suddenly Aelia felt the familiar burning sensation quickly build up in the lower pits of her abdomen, her body shuddering and her breathing becoming heavy as her release neared. His name spilled out of her lips once again as the pressure finally broke and a huge wave of pleasure passed over her, followed by the blur of her vision and the sound of her mate giving into the sensations as well.

Aelia took a moment to regain her breath and felt her cheeks heat up as Claude buried his face in her neck once more, muttering something in a foreign language.

"C-Claude..." She was pleased to note that her voice had finally returned to her. "What are you saying?"

After a moment of silence from the elder demon he pushed himself up so he was propped above her on his elbows. "It is something of tradition for a male to repeat to his mate after the change."

"I see..." Aelia reached up and slowly traced the outline of Claude's cheekbone with the tips of her fingers. Her usual red eyes seemed to glow with an ominous demonic presence, causing a strange wave of pride and rejuvenated desire to pulse through Claude. "Did it work?"

Amusement flashed in his eyes. "You mean, have you successfully become a full demon?" When Aelia nodded slowly Claude leaned down to press his lips against her forehead. "Yes, you have."

Aelia couldn't fend off the bright smile that plastered itself on her face.

"Did I hurt you?" Claude looked down at her with a startling amount of concern in his eyes that caused Aelia's stomach to twist in knots.

"No, everything was fine," Aelia murmured out softly.

Out of the years Claude was in her service, never had he looked in her in such a way. It was uncharacteristic of him and caught Aelia off guard. The awkwardness that she had also expected to flow around the two after such an intimate act was nowhere to be found as Claude pulled away from her long enough to lay on her side before pulling the covers up over the two. He pulled the young woman close to him and traced circles around the bare flesh of her shoulder as she drifted into a deep sleep.

* * *

Somewhere in town, Sorben wandered the streets by himself after having stopped the carriage and knocked the triplets out. He needed some privacy and some peace and quiet in order to process what was happening back at the manor.

The spider demon, Claude Faustus, was his daughters mate.

Sorben was no fool, and knew the man by his reputation in the underworld. He was a merciless, empathetic male who cared not for others but himself. The man was selfish and malicious. He knew Claude had no ability to feel real emotion or how to send and receive it.

To put it simply, he was not at all pleased by her choice in a mate.

Sorben continued his walk down the street until an unfamiliar scent caught his attention. His feet planted themselves to the ground as he looked around to try and pin-point the whereabouts of the new scent, when a man dressed in black trousers matched with a double-breasted tailcoat. Beside him, was a shorter male with a patch covering his right eye while the other, a bright blue one, stared back at him void of emotion.

The taller of the two placed a hand over his heart and bowed politely.

"Good evening sir," The man spoke with a polite tone. "I would like to introduce you to my young master, Lord Earl Ciel Phantomhive."

Sorben's brow rose. "What business do you have with me?"

The young boy know revealed as Ciel walked forward to match the man's gaze. "You are Sorben Urbana, are you not?"

"I am," Sorben narrowed his eyes. "Again, I must ask what it is you want with me?"

"My apologies," The butler stood straight but did not move from where he stood. "My young master has business he wishes to discuss with you in private concerning your return to this land."

"Would this have anything do with my daughter?" Sorben inquired, his red eyes beginning to glow an eerie bright crimson unlike the fuchsia most demons displayed.

The butler's lips pulled into a grin. "Why, yes it does."

"Well I must apologize but, as of right now I have other matters to deal with in regards to my daughter without your added drama," Sorben sighed and pocketed his hands. "I have nothing to speak to you two about so I will be leaving now."

Ciel's voice caught Sorben off guard with the amount of authority he possessed in his tone. "Before you choose to turn me down, please do me the honors of hearing me out."

Sorben looked at the boy with a quizzical eye. "Oh? And what is it you want with my daughter exactly? Humor me with your ideas and bribes."

"Well first, I would like to know what lays such a heavy distraction on your mind," Ciel asked. "And then perhaps we can discuss my portion of a new deal."

Sorben eyed Ciel before turning his attention to the demon butler standing behind him. Now that he took a good look, he recognized the man to be the infamous crow demon who currently went by the name of Sebastian Michaelis.

"She is currently in the company of a demon I thought to be dead," Sorben revealed. "You may know of him."

"Of?" Ciel's brow rose. "Who might it be?"

"Claude Faustus."

Sebastian's eyes grew ever so slightly as Ciel stood there with his mouth agape. "Impossible. When Claude and Sebastian dueled, Alois and I watched Sebastian strike him down."

"Well I'm afraid you are mistaken," Sorben chortled. "The man is very much alive and has been under the service of my daughter up until now, when it was decided by the rules of the contract that she would take his hand and become his mate."

Sebastian spared a glance towards Sorben before looking down at his master. "It would seem the rules of the game are in need of change."

"So it would seem," Ciel whispered before giving his head a shake.

Sorben watched as the two conversed in hushed tones. Deciding to use this as his opportunity for escape, Sorben turned around and began to walk away from the pair.

"Wait," Ciel's voice caused Sorben to stop and look back over his shoulder. "What would you say to making a deal?"

The mischievous glint in Ciel's eye did not go unnoticed by the ancient demon, only adding to his growing curiosity. "And what would that be?"

"Why not come with us and discuss the matters I wish to bring up to you over some tea before we dive into the terms of this deal?" Ciel smirked, baiting the elder demon.

Sebastian eyed Sorben for a moment and found himself surprised as the older male turned around to face his young master.

"Fine," Sorben finally answered. "But lets make this quick."

* * *

**Sebastian and Ciel are back! Woot! ... Or maybe not, depends on who was excited to see them make an appearance in this story. LOOL**

**Sorry for the sudden smut-bomb that I just decided to drop without much notice. I felt like writing it, and I can only write these things when I feel like it or else what I write comes out more poop-ish than what it already has. I tend to avoid writing smut in general, but it's been a while and since I have two rated M fics (my Hellsing one is rated M ;) hehe) I figured I might as well get it over with.**

**I hope to update EVERYTHING this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me! ;)**

**Anywhoo, I hope you all had a lovely week and enjoyed the chapter! Rate and review if you all enjoyed it! I love hearing your comments, good or bad! :)**

**I will be updating more regularly now that I got the FFX craze out of my system. Cuz trust me, I was bad the first couple of days. LOOL (I fucking LOVE FFX if you all hadn't noticed ;D)**

**I love you guys soooo much and will see you all in the next thing I update!**

**Tataa for now~**


	8. The Earls, Phantomhive and Trancy

**So when I should be updating either one of my other continuous stories... Here I am, updating Magnificence again. LOOL**

**SORRY GUYS, I can't help it!**

**Probably sometime tomorrow I'll update One Way Ticket or The Deal, but for now, I wanna get into the real storyline for this fic. ;)**

* * *

**Magnificence**

**CH XIII; The Earls, Phantomhive and Trancy**

* * *

"Father, may I ask you a question?"

Sorben, having been walking through the massive expanse that was the gardens behind the grand manor, looked down at his daughter and offered a smile.

"Of course," He stuffed his hands into his pockets out of habit. "You should know better than that," His eyes began to shine with fatherly affections. "You can ask your old man anything at all."

Aelia giggled softly before stopping beside a giant bush with glorious looking pink lily's. She knelt down and carefully plucked a fully bloomed one from it's perch and brought it up to her nose, inhaling deeply allowing the unique aroma to penetrate her senses deeply. She sighed in content with a smile on her face before turning to her father.

"What is it about Claude that you dislike?"

Sorben gave a mighty inner struggled to fight hard against the frown that wanted to drag the corners of his mouth downward. He had been secretly hoping Aelia would not pick up on his hesitation towards the man in question, as he could tell something was off.

His opinion of his newly appointed son-in-law had also shifted ever since his fated meeting with a certain Earl and his eternal demonic companion.

Sorben gave a convincing smile. "It's not that I don't like him," He paused and desperately ripped through his mind to formulate some sort of legible response to her question. "It's just that he isn't the first demon I would have allowed you to give your hand to."

Aelia blinked. "What do you mean by that, father?"

"Let me explain," Sorben drew in a deep breath to prepare for his speech. "What a male demon has a daughter, he withholds the right to choose her partner, or to allow his child to find a mate. If the latter of the decisions is made, the father is able to approve or disapprove of the suitor," He paused and noted the look of acknowledgement on Aelia's face. "As you may be thinking, it is indeed like a nobleman and an arranged marriage, but with much less rules to abide by."

"So is that why you don't like Claude?" Aelia pressed, wanting to dig deeper. "You don't approve of him?"

Sorben's brows knit together. "Again, I never declared that I dislike him, but I must be honest with the fact that I do not approve of him."

"Why?" Aelia's smile turned downward.

Aelia watched as conflict began to cross his pale face, allowing for a large pool of anxiety to ripple in the very pits of her stomach.

How could her father not approve of Claude? Surely he must know how kind her mate has been to her, even as he served her faithfully as her butler.

Sorben gave a weary sigh before running his fingers through the wild tresses of his dark hair. "How do I explain this without sounding unfair and without remorse."

The anxiety building in Aelia slowly began to grapple at her more frantically as she waited impatiently for her father to give her his answer.

"To put it simply," Sorben locked eyes with her is to intensify his point. "I do not trust him."

Before Aelia could inquire as to why, Sorben silenced her with a flash of his hand.

"I've known of Claude for a very long time Aelia," Sorben began. "He is known in my world as an apathetic, sadistic and cruel man. He is from a long line of spider demons, and in that line comes extreme aggression and a selfishness that cannot be contained."

Aelia allowed this new piece of information to cut through her and flow freely like a wound that would never heal.

She was no fool. Despite her trust in the former butler, she could see the signs. His impassive nature and how he would so ruthlessly deal with the situations Aelia would ask him to deal with was a red flag that warned her of his true nature. However, even in his ruthless demeanour, the spider demon had treated her with an uncanny gentleness Aelia had not thought possible. During the weeks following the murder of Samson, Claude had become more romantic in his advances towards her. He would often caress her cheek with a rare tenderness, or take her into an embrace during her weakest moments.

Aelia witnessed first hand both sides of the spider demon's personality, and willingly accepted it all.

"Father..."

"Let me finish Aelia," Sorben chuckled softly. "Despite the fact his... _prestigious_ reputation is not one to be happy over, I have not failed to notice how much softer he has become since your union and with that, I will be giving him the benefit of the doubt."

At his words, a weight suddenly lifted from her shoulders.

There was a wave of comfortable silence that washed over the two as they continued their trek through the gardens. Sorben muddled in his own thoughts as he looked a head of him to see Aelia taking in all the different flower arrangements they passed by. He couldn't help but smile at the peaceful look on Aelia's face, the same that his dear Elizabeth gave to him when she was incandescently happy.

How he missed his beautiful angel.

A sudden thought crossed his mind, forcing his attention back to the conversation from the previous night when he had encountered the infamous Earl Phantomhive and his companion. To be honest, Sorben had been rather convinced that the Earl was clean off his rocker once he gave his piece and demanded a deal to be made.

Much to his dismay, Ciel requested that Sorben honor his half of the deal by handing over Aelia into Sebastian's custody with the promise that she would have protection from the spider demon. Despite the tempting offer that followed up with the details Phantomhive had laid out, Sorben refused to barter his daughter for the gain of another.

Sorben was an ancient demon with the bloodline of a royal. Simply put, he had faced others with the same greedy eyes as the newly transformed nobleman expressed deep within his oceanic mirrors. Many before Ciel had tried to tie themselves into the Urbana bloodline either through marriage or by dishonorable means. Whether it was a matter of gaining power over enemies or out of some whim of rare honesty of affection, those who were not compatible or chosen to honor the family name were given no chance.

A single woman with the will of fire had set the standard for the rules following the hundreds of years the Urbana family would fight to maintain their strong structure and firm rules. Zelina Urbana was a ruthless and powerful demoness that had not but one single purpose in her lengthy life, seeing it as her personal mission to uphold the balance between clans.

Sorben could clearly remember the demoness in startling detail. She was a tall woman with burning eyes that matched her untamable personality. She was independent and refused to take a mate, feeling the connection would only hinder what she was placed in the cruel world to do. Zelina was callous and void of expression to all those who apposed her and for those she cherished, they were given the rarity of seeing the sliver of warmth that would peak through her void. Sorben had been one of the few that had the honor of knowing Zelina as a kind and gentle woman.

It shocked him to note the similarities that his own flesh and blood shared with the fearsome Zelina Urbana, and it would be those similarities that attracted the attention of others hungry and lustful for power.

Ciel Phantomhive was not exempt from those urges.

Much like Aelia, Zelina had a unique compassion for those who gained her trust that had ultimately been her downfall.

_She will be taken care of with the utmost respect and have the best protection one could offer. I can assure you that Sebastian will not fail._

Sorben watched Aelia with a somber expression as the thoughts coursing through his mind twisted and turned down the small path of temptation once more as he muddled over what the Earl had said.

_Ah, so you wish to feed your curiosity after all. Very well, here is the deal: allow me to remove Aelia from the former Trancy estate and hold her in my custody. As stated previously, she will be in good hands as Sebastian is more than formidable and will handle all those who advance towards us in a threat. The part she will play will be further elaborated at another time._

The hidden meaning detected in his words sent chills tingling down the Urbana's spine. How the Earl continuously repeated himself on assuring the safety of his child with Sebastian unsettled him. There was also the fact that Ciel would not disclose his full reasoning for wanting to attain Aelia, but it would not take a fool to know it was either for power or simply for almighty greed.

"Excuse the interruption, but might I have a word with Miss Aelia?"

Sorben blinked and looked to his left, having been unaware of Claude's presence until now. Aelia turned to the spider demon and gave a bright smile, to which Claude returned with his own charming upturn of his lips leaving Sorben somewhat shocked.

"Of course," Sorben chortled. "She is your mate after all. No need to ask."

Claude eyed Sorben with suspicion clear in his piercing yellow orbs but made no move to question him, deciding to avoid a conflict while in front of Aelia.

Aelia walked up to the two and placed her hand on her father's arm giving him an affection squeeze before taking the hand offered by her mate and allowed Claude to walk her out of the garden. Sorben watched the two carefully before turning his attention forward once more.

Now alone, he allowed the thoughts buzzing through his head to consume him.

* * *

"Good morning, young master."

Ciel stirred from his slumber as the chipper voice of his ever faithful butler poured into his room. The boy muttered something softly as he sat up, carefully rubbing the sleep from his eyes before reaching for his eye patch. His oceanic blues soon landed on Sebastian as he left the trolley that had been pushed in from the hall and strolled over to the Earl's bedside. Ciel fastened the patch over the contract-sealed eye while Sebastian prepared his usual cup of tea.

"For this morning's tea we have a traditional Earl Gray blend," Sebastian announced as he prepared Ciel for his day, dressing him in his appropriate attire which consisted of a black blazer over top of a dark grey dress shirt that matched the black shorts and matching knee-high socks with garters.

Ciel eyed Sebastian with a bored expression. "What is my schedule for today?"

"You have an appointment with a gentleman who wishes to become business partners with the Funtom Company later in the evening," Sebastian relays. "As well as a two o'clock appointment with another gentleman who is also interested in becoming business partners, although his intentions are much less admirable."

"Of course they are," Ciel scoffed. "It is sad to think that morals and a man's pride can be swayed so easily by money."

Sebastian's eyes shined with amusement. "Are you sure it is not simply a human trait, young master?"

"Perhaps it is," Ciel mused.

Accepting the seemingly empty cup from Sebastian, Ciel brought the expensive china cup to his lips and took a long sip of the invisible substance within its confines. A small yet satisfied sigh escaped Ciel's lips before closing his visible eye.

"Has Sorben given any word as of yet?"

"I'm afraid not," Sebastian replied.

Ciel's lips curled into a small smirk as he finished off the contents of the tea cup. "He will."

"What makes you so certain?" Sebastian's brow rose at the over confidence the young Earl displayed.

Ciel's visible eye flashed a deep crimson before returning to its normal ocean blue.

"He may be a prideful demon, but we cannot deny the fact that our goals are both in common," Ciel began. "In the end, it will work out in both our favor."

Sebastian grinned knowingly. "Of course."

* * *

Claude walked Aelia down a long hallway that was unfamiliar to her. The two passed door after door until finally the taller of the two stopped at a rather gargantuan rosewood colored door. Aelia looked up at her companion with a quizzical look in her eyes.

"Where are we, Claude?" She questioned. "And why didn't I know this place was here?"

Claude looked down at Aelia. "This room belongs to my former master, Earl Alois Trancy."

"So, this is his bedroom?" Aelia felt her cheeks heat up at the thought.

The male demon stepped forward to wrap his hand around the handle. "No. This room, once a guest room, was altered upon request when the young master knew his demise was close."

Aelia tried to wrap her head around the information being thrown at her. "So before you consumed his soul, he had this room created?"

Claude paused and for a moment, Aelia caught a glimpse of the demon she had encountered when they first agreed to a contract. His yellow eyes flashed a brilliant and dangerous fuchsia before settling back to their normal warm, golden texture.

Clearly that was a topic that would not be up for a welcomed discussion.

"I'm sorry Claude," Aelia whispered softly. "It wasn't my place to bring that up..."

The elder demon glanced at her from the corner of his eye but said nothing. With an effortless flick of his wrist, the door was opened to reveal itself to pair outside. Aelia watched him and frowned but followed silently behind him.

As Claude made his way to the far left corner of the room, Aelia nearly jumped out of her skin once the elder demon spoke.

"Highness suffered a terrible fate worse than death," Claude declared. "Alois Trancy formed a contract with a demoness named Hannah Anafeloz, who before my meeting with the Earl Trancy had dealings with a young boy named Luka. The young master believed he was his younger brother."

Aelia watched him as he effortlessly lifted a beautifully designed navy plush chair into the air and set aside, revealing a bare spot on the wall. Her brow flew upwards. This hidden compartment certainly wasn't made to be concealed with a high level of secrecy, much like Claude's brief explanation and lack of disclosure for what the purpose of this room was.

"So these dealings Hannah had with Luka... Was it a contract?" Aelia surmised.

"Correct," Claude opened a small cupboard door to reveal what looked like a small unmarked chest. "Once their contract came to an end, Hannah consumed Luka's soul as per the usual agreement to any Faustian contract unless stated otherwise. When Hannah became employed as a maid under the Trancy household, she doted on the young master with intentions on reuniting the two."

Aelia frowned. "How tragic."

There was a gruff sound that escaped Claude's throat that reminded Aelia of a chortle, but she knew better. The man before her continued his work without meeting Aelia's eye.

"Hannah created the contract in order to save him from the fate of our contract," Claude finally spared Aelia a glance. "In doing so, she completed her goal of reuniting the two, successfully stealing the young master away from me."

Aelia caught the shameless tone of jealously laced in Claude's voice. She crossed the room with hesitation and reached out to touch his shoulder but his words halted her movement.

"Should you ever choose to form a contract with a desperate human, you will understand the animosity of another demon stealing another's food," Claude snapped the lock containing the chest with ease before standing up with the box in-hand.

Aelia felt a pang at her heart due to the heartless tone in his words.

"What's in the box?" Aelia inquired, taking a shot at changing the subject.

Claude walked passed her to set the unlocked chest down on a solid oak chest before turning to face her fully. For the first time since their abrupt meeting on the night their contract was formed, Aelia felt her blood run cold with fear. Fear of what Claude was capable of.

Claude seemed to detect this and advanced forward towards his mate, his eyes never leaving hers. She began to shrink back as he approached, until finally he was within an arms length away from the girl.

"Aelia," Claude's tone had an alarming amount of calm added to it. "Are you frightened of me?"

Hesitation.

_He is known in my world as an apathetic, sadistic and cruel man. _

Sorben's words cracked the thin layer of Aelia's opinion on Claude only slightly.

_Extreme aggression and a selfishness that cannot be contained.  
_

Claude drew in a deep breath and silently exhaled, reaching forward to touch her cheek gently. Aelia did not flinch under his touch as he anticipated she would, relieving him with the knowledge that she was not frightened, but in fact more intimidated than anything.

Aelia leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, raising her hand up to place over his own.

"I'm not afraid of you," Aelia sighed out. "I just... Forgot the type of person you are capable of being."

Claude surprised her by accepting her words as he leaned in to press a light kiss on her forehead.

"I will not lie to you to and falsely assure you of anything that is not true," Claude looked down at her.

Aelia gave a small smile. "I know."

Claude carefully studied her eyes. _She is completely trusting of me despite the warnings in her father's words._ The muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched. _Perfect._

Aelia reached up to brush the hair that has fallen in front of his face.

The two remained in silence as they shared a meaningful gaze when Claude pulled away only to grasp her hand.

"Are you going to show me what's inside the box?" Aelia inquired with overflowing curiosity, following Claude as he led her to the desk.

"Of course," Claude released her hand and reached for the lid.

As crimson eyes watched intensely, Aelia could not help but tense with the feeling of what secrets may be revealed when the lid was finally opened. Was it a heart? Piece of human flesh? A weapon which held the power to slay a demon? Questions began to run through her mind at rapid speed, all the while causing an unnecessary headache.

Lifting it open, Claude cast her a brief look before setting his sights on the exposed set of rings.

Aelia eyed the two rings that were perched within the confines of the chest. Nestled between the vibrant white cushion sat a silver ring with what would have been a stunning dark blue diamond during it's better days and a gold ring adorned with several white jewels lining what looked like the outline of an eye with a dull red diamond being the iris. She also noted how similar the two pieces of jewelry were to her own.

_It has another purpose._

"Rings?" Aelia looked up at Claude in confusion, her brows furrowing.

The demon's eyes were trained on the rings. "Day into night, creatures to corpses, and in this case, humans into demons."

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked back down at the two rings.

Did these belong to his former master?

* * *

**Ahhhhh, sorry about the shitty ending to this chapter. LOOL**

**Yes, I know, the title has NOTHING to do with the actual chapter, but in a way it kind of does due to the reveal of those rings. ;)**

**IN OTHER NEWS:**

**I finally was able to walk away from my game after beating it, and decided to take a break before going straight into FFX-2. With that said, I am delighted to inform you all with this piece of useless information I'm sure none of you really are concerned about, and that is that I am now watching all of the seasons of House. Boring, right? Naw. ;)**

**Either way, in relations to the story, we got to hear Claude's summarized and altered version of the truth behind Alois' death. **

**Starting now we will be going into the real storyline, so I'm hoping to at least surprise a few of you.**

**I would love to hear comments about the story so far, or if any of you have any concerns about where this story is going. Please, feel free to voice anything at all! I love hearing from you all. :)**

**I loves you all sooooo much, and I shall see you in the next thing that I write! ;)**

**Tataa~**


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